Mark Thomas interview

Campaigning comedian Mark Thomas has set himself a big challenge, and time is now running out to complete it, as he explains in this interview.

Hi Mark. For the benefit of those who haven't yet heard, can we start by asking you to introduce what you're up to as part of your tour?

I'm aiming to do one hundred acts of minor dissent. I've got one year to commit all these 100 acts. It started on the 13th May 2013 and ends on the 13th May this year. If I'm successful, I'll do one final show which details all 100, but if I fail I will donate £1,000 to UKIP.

May isn't far away now. How are you doing?

I'm on 68... so I'm 32 down. I've got two months to do 32 acts. I think it is possible, but I am a little panicked. We have got loads of ideas and we've got stuff planned - it's just getting tight now.

For the next one (Tuesday 18th March) we're having an "envisaging of the end of the Monarchy"... which is illegal. We have asked permission from the Royal Parks Police to allow us to parade. That could be quite interesting. It's illegal to envisage the end of the Monarchy, but how do you know when we're envisaging?... Well, we've let them know now and, more than that, asked for permission to do it. So, you can say that we can do it - in which case you are breaking the law - or you say "you can't break the law", in which case you can't prevent a group of people walking down a street thinking.

Of the acts you've already done, do you have a favourite?

I loved doing the one up in Edinburgh - the pro-gay gig outside the Russian Consulate. It was incredible - we had nearly 600 people and it was just great. It was just really full on - there were really good performers, an amazing atmosphere, real brilliant fun, and the police were really great.

Since then the Winter Olympics have taken place with homophobia still an issue. Can campaigning ever actually change anything?

I think certainly what you can do is raise the temperature back here. Get the debate going about it, and that all kind of filters its way through into various bits of the Russian hierarchy. Whether it has any effect or not - well, all these things hopefully have a compounding effect. It's not that you turn up to one demonstration and everything gets fixed. It's that people keep turning up - that actually has the effect.

You try and work in solidarity with people who are at the sharp end of it - who are at the coal face of the struggle. For example, Uganda are introducing an anti-gay law. What you need to do is work with the people on the ground - work with the gay activists there - don't just tell them what to do; listen to them, make sure you're doing what they want you to do.

You're primarily a comedian with an aim to entertain - does that mean there are any topics you don't tackle, because it's hard to get any entertainment from certain subject matter?

Well, this [current tour] is a comedy show, but there are other shows I do that are more theatrical, which I don't think there are any boundaries on at all. We're working on a new show which is going to be really exciting when it comes out - it is going to be full on. It will be an emotional roller coaster.

To answer the question, I don't think there's anything that needs to be avoided - it's the way that you handle it. It's the way that you do the story that's important.

So how do you pick what to tackle?

It's very instinctive: "Why don't we do this?", "Why don't we do that?"... you know? I don't sit down with a list of the woes of this world and go "Right, #1: International Capitalism". That's not how you do it. "This is what I don't like right now... let's do something about that."

They [the acts of dissent] kind of evolve rather than me having a battle plan. I like to think this isn't a sort of great war plan, but more of a rolling skirmish that owes its tactics to improvised jazz.

What topic are you most passionate about? If you could change one thing...

The so called 'Immigration debate'. I think that's what I'd change. I'm sick and tired of this fucking little Englander fucking awful mentality that says "because I haven't got something then stamp on the foreigners". When people go "we just want a serious debate" - you don't want a serious debate, you are just mongers of fear.

We're talking about UKIP here, we're talking about the Tory party, we're talking the Mail, we're talking about The Express. Remember that thing about migrants eating swan - you just think "you fucking evil bastards - what a load of shit. You shovel it off and press people's buttons". It's irresponsible and nasty and fucking evilness.

What I would do if I could is I would just make everyone in Britain black. I'd change the language to Arabic... and then step back, ha ha.

Perhaps no political party is currently up solving the country's problems. Do you vote?

I vote Green. Voting is one of those things... I disagree with Russell Brand. I love him dearly - I think he's a very talented man - but the thing is, voting takes 5 minutes of your time but could have some effect. There's no point saying "they're all the same" - they're not. The Green Party is clearly talking about climate change, and looking at the issues of corporate rights over civil rights - those are two really important areas - so I think it's really positive to vote for them. So when Russell says "don't bother voting", well really the trouble then is the ruling class loves you - you've abstained from the debate, you've essentially given them your vote.

The point is actually not just about political parties - it's about all of us raising our game. It's no good going "the politicians are failing us"; yes they are and we're allowed them to do it, so why have we allowed them to do it? We've let them off the hook - we should be fucking at them. We have failed - we get the politicians that we deserve. If we're not working hard enough to change it and to improve it, there's no good moaning about it.

It looks like comedians could be the next politicians...

I think Eddie Izzard is going to be a fantastic mayor. He's got the attention span of a gnat. Ha ha ha. Oh dear, oh fucking lord. There's hubris and there's hubris - and this is hubris. I think the thing about comics is we just have to know our limitations.

Maybe you'd make a great politician though?

I wouldn't. I'd spend all the money. I can't concentrate enough. I'd be too busy talking about me. I'd end up embezzling everything and I'd be found in a jacuzzi with One Direction. I'd be the worst stereotype of a politician.

The thing about being a proper politician, a good politician - and there are one or two who have really worked hard to make a positive and progressive change - it takes a lot of work and skill, and actually I haven't got those skills. I'd be interested to see if Eddie Izzard has.

We may find out soon enough.

He might get voted in, but maybe he won't. I think after having had a term of two offices from someone who isn't really a proper politician possibly what we need is a proper politician. It's rare you'll find me saying that - but someone who actually knows how to negotiate and somebody who knows how to actually build a team to get things done, someone who has a firm idea of what actually we need... is that Eddie? I just love the idea of him standing there [Mark mimics Izzard's delivery rhythm] "Ohhh, vote for me". In fact, he'd be very good in the House of Lords.

Ha ha. Any news on further Radio 4 shows from you Mark? Any more Manifesto shows?

No, not at the moment. We did five series of Manifesto - that's alright. I think we had a fair crack at it. It would have been nice to have done a few more but I can see why they said "you've had a go, now move over and do something else".

Radio 4 have come back and said - they're very sweet - "Have you got any ideas? Do you want to do anything? Do you want to come and talk to us?" I said "Well, I'm a bit busy at the moment, but when I do..."

They're nice people, I love Radio 4. When you think about it, they've had some great successes - some amazing broadcasting. It's nice to be part of a station that you want to listen to.

Mark Thomas is touring '100 Acts Of Minor Dissent' until mid-May. To see tour dates and find out more about Mark visit www.markthomasinfo.co.uk