Circuit Training 30: David Schneider

A brilliant comic actor and occasional grotesque who graced some of our greatest comedy series and is planning a solo Edinburgh show... no, not Kevin Eldon again, but David Schneider, another alumni of Chris Morris' groundbreaking oeuvre now making bold strides back to live stand-up.

Schneider is actually better associated with Morris' brilliant behind-the-scenes associate Armando Iannucci, an old university foil. After embodying several memorable characters in both The Day Today (weatherman Sylvester Stewart, physical cartoonist Brandt) and the Coogan/Ianucci spin-off Knowing Me Knowing You (hypnotist Tony Le Mesmer, that sinister French clown) his most memorable character turned out to be surprisingly sensible: Alan Partridge's long-suffering TV commissioner Tony Hayers.

Since then Schneider has enjoyed a varied career, from kids TV - two series of his own Mr Bean-like creation Uncle Max - to cameos in big blockbuster movies like Mission: Impossible and 28 Days Later, plus the occasional return to his academic roots with several Yiddish-themed works. The return to live stages began with a gig for the video-based event Popcorn Comedy and continues at a couple of their further dates this week - see link below - which all build up to an intriguingly elaborate Edinburgh run this August.

In this special longer-than-usual 30th edition of Circuit Training (ok, I just couldn't bring myself to chop loads out) we learn about his plan to revolutionise this year's Fringe, the ongoing spectre of Partridge and his crucial role in Shane Ritchie's career. So, David, whoooo.... do you think you are?

What are you up to at this very moment in time?

At this very moment? I've just come from trying out a new game that's like Guitar Hero but of films, for Radio 4. It's like Karaoke but films, so you pop yourself in the Godfather and you do it, and then you get scored doing it.

You must be the ideal person for that, having popped up in 'Mission: Impossible' and the like. In fact you could actually play opposite yourself...

That sounds very, very egocentric. I like that idea. I did ask if they had Lord of the Rings because I did go up for the part of Gollum. At least I could have a shot at it for five seconds on a computer game.

Were you close to getting the part?

I think I did a good audition. My excuse is that I'm such a Lord of the Rings nerd that in the chatting I made it clear that to be with me for three years in New Zealand doing Lord of the Rings would be unbearable.

You would have been the one going "That's not what he did in the book..."

Exactly, just pulling slightly undermining faces at the director the whole time. "Do you really want to do that?"

You're doing a couple of gigs at Popcorn Comedy soon, who you've worked with before?

Yes, I did one at the Greenwich Festival, which was my first gig back really for 15 years, and it was fun. I'm working towards an Edinburgh show which is about using - and is partly on - the internet. So the sort of style of Popcorn where they use a lot of screens and a lot of clips is what I'm trying to do as well.

I had no idea you did live stuff...

No, that's because I haven't done it for 15 years. I did a couple of years on the circuit around the time of The Day Today, but once I got work in telly I just sort of didn't have time for it. Being on Twitter, doing jokes has made me want to be in front of a live audience again.

Twitter is similar to stand-up in a way: you throw a joke out there and immediately get a response. Or not.

Yes, it's for the shallow, like myself. You go "Do you like what I've written? Do you like it?" and then they go yes or no, and if they go 'yes', you go "Oh, that's nice." It's great for the needy. But I think it's also what they call a loss-leader, to raise your profile and hopefully bring in work.

Was stand-up something you'd always wanted to do?

When I was at university I did live stuff, live performance stuff, you know, me and Armando Iannucci did a double act. And, yes, it is the thrill of the live, that's something I do miss. The thing with me is I do lots of different things. I've spent quite a few years as a writer, and then I did a bit of directing and now I'm sort of doing more "Here's David Schneider coming on your show to be intelligent or be funny." Twitter has reminded me that it's quite nice to promote yourself.

Our last interview was with Kevin Eldon, who also went back to do an Edinburgh show last year. Did he influence you at all?

Kevin doing that did make me think, and I know that he got a lot out of it. He convinced me that, yes, it's good fun to do. Also, like Kevin, I did Edinburgh many years ago and when you're old, like myself, you've got to know why you're doing it. The nature of this show is that at least 20 minutes of it will be streamed live on the internet which has never been done before, and probably for a very good reason.

As anyone knows who's tried to get a phone signal around some of the venues, I've got to be crazy, but we're looking into how it might happen. There's lots of challenges. If it works, that's great; if it doesn't, then we gave it a go. I'm not 20 and hoping to win the best newcomer. The best oldcomer.

Was 'On the Hour' the first broadcast stuff you did?

No, I was in a BBC prime-time sketch show - Shane Ritchie's first ever show as well. It was very, very prime-time, called Up to Something. It got like eight million viewers. It was very mixed, but that was my first big telly thing. There was a time they were trying to matchmake me and Shane as the new double-act like Smith and Jones, sort of one Oxbridge and one normal lad, and I remember we did get together and try to come up with stuff. It didn't quite work but we got on well. It was interesting for me coming from Oxbridge and Shane coming from Butlins, to see that world. But I suppose I'm more comfortable with the alternative BBC2 type world that I then got into.

You then hooked up with Iannucci again. That On the Hour/The Day Today cast is probably our nearest modern equivalent to a Beyond the Fringe, given the range of things those involved went on to do. Did you have any inkling at the time?

You're aware of the amazing talent of people but you're just doing your job and having fun and doing the work really. You're not saying "We are brilliant." There was a lot of self confidence in that group but you just do stuff that's funny.

So is the Edinburgh show your prime focus at the moment?

No, I've got two possible sitcom scripts and a comedy drama that I've been commissioned to write and pilot. I'm at a point where suddenly I've got quite a bit to write, and hopefully one out of three will be made. I can't say too much, obviously.

Are you still auditioning for big films, too?

Yes, a little bit, whatever comes along. I'm in Horrid Henry, which is a kid's film. I play opposite Anjelica Huston. She's my love interest.

I haven't actually mentioned Tony Hayers yet. I bet that would have been a first...

Yes, you've ruined it now.

Have you ever had anyone come up to you in the street and do Alan's sexy dance?

No, I haven't. I mean I've had people say "Do you want me to lapdance for you?" but nobody has come up and done the dance. I get a lot of "Smell my cheese," a lot of "Give me a second series, you shit," a lot of "Who do you think you are?" But I've not had anyone physicalise that moment. Now you've pointed that out I'm disappointed.

David appears at Popcorn Comedy in Bristol (16th March, with Henry Widdicombe) and Birmingham (17th March, with Helen Arney). Visit www.popcorncomedy.com for details.