Mat Ricardo
"...is the Derren Brown of juggling"
LoveFringe
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- About MAT RICARDO'S LONDON VARIETIES
- Watch MAT RICARDO'S LONDON VARIETIES online
- "SHOWMAN" The new one man show
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About
Mat Ricardo is one of Europe’s most in-demand comedy variety performers.
Since helping to spearhead the resurgence of new circus and variety in the late 1980’s, Mat has gone on to headline theatres across Europe, appear at countless international variety and comedy festivals, and on some of the finest cabaret and burlesque stages in the world. He has entertained corporate clients too numerous to mention, as well as members of the Royal Family.
Alongside his prolific live work as both performer and director, he has made many high profile television appearances, most notably as a regular cast member on three series of ITV1’s “Moment of Truth”, and as a special guest on BBC1’s “The Slammer”. More recently he was the first variety performer to be invited as a guest on ITV1’s “The Jonathan Ross Show”, performed and talked about variety on “The Alan Titchmarsh Show” and is the star of the famous “Unum tablecloth trick” TV ad campaign.
With his first one man show, 2011’s “Three Balls and a new Suit”, he became the first ever cabaret artist to win the Herald Angel award for excellence in theatre.
As one of the busiest acts on the European cabaret scene, he was named best speciality act in the British cabaret awards, along with receiving a nomination for best overall show. That same year, his second one man show “Vaudeville Schmuck” played to a sell-out run in London and received five star reviews at the Edinburgh festival.
His critically acclaimed and Award-nominated “London Varieties” project consolidated his position at the forefront of the British variety revival.
You can watch an interview with Mat about his work here, and listen to a podcast about his time as a street performer here.
If you'd like to see a little behind-the-scenes clip from the Unum advert, click here.
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Showreel
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About MAT RICARDO'S LONDON VARIETIES
- Next show MAY 30THMat Ricardo's London Varieties is the smash hit, sell-out, critically acclaimed show that re-invigorated variety and brought it back to the London stage.The Stage called it the best new light entertainment show of the year, and now you can find out what all the fuss is about because it's back for 2013!The next show will take place on May 30th at 9.30pm at the Leicester Square Theatre, and will feature..Winner of the Magic Circle stage magician of the year 2013 - PIFF THE MAGIC DRAGONIncredible cabaret stars ABANDOMANThe hilarious ORIGINAL STREET DANCEand special guest, veteran comedy juggler MICHAEL PEARSEPlus I'll be attempting the most complicated routine I have ever tried!But there's more! You can watch previous shows, in glorious HD video, right now, for free! Just click on the "Watch" button on the left of your screen, and enjoy!""A tour de force!" - Broadway baby"The best in the business!" - The Stage"Mat Ricardo has made variety shows cool again!" - Zip Magazine"Sublime" - Culture Burn“Mat Ricardo’s London Varieties is a captivating showcase for highly skilled contemporary variety performance – more than that, its a truly unique platform for engaging with the form’s fascinating but too-often-overlooked heritage. And it’s all held together by its host’s superb skills and palpable passion for his work and that of his forebears.”Ben Walters, Cabaret Editor, Time Out"Not to be missed!" - The Stage"Guaranteed Entertainment" - This Is Cabaret"Exhilarating! You have to go!" - ToMax Talks
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Mat Ricardo's London Varieties
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"SHOWMAN" The new one man show
- I'll be performing a couple of previews of my new one man show "Showman" over the next few weeks. It's my third one man show - the previous two have both been awarded five stars and one of them won a theatre award, but I think this is the best one I've ever done, so I'd love you to come and see it...June 22nd, at Jacksons Lane Theatre, Book tickets hereJuly 11th, at Leicester Square Theatre Studio, Book tickets hereAnd then, I'll be performing it at the Edinburgh fringe festival...
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Posts
- May 21, 13Here it is, show three!Sit back, crack open your chosen beverage, full-screen that monkey and enjoy!You got the cream of UK cabaret, comedy and circus talent, an interview with legendary magician Paul Daniels, plus I risk my life! What more do you want?Hope you like it - if you do, please do share it till it hurts.And don't forget to book your tickets for the next one, on Thursday May 30th..
- May 15, 13I can sometimes be a bit of a bitter old stick of a man. I'm aware of it. I'm working on it. But there it is. So, you would think that if there was someone who, a couple of decades and change ago, I used to hang out with, work with, eat breakfast with, who then went on the become one of the most successful and beloved stand up comedians and actors in the world.. Well you might be forgiven for thinking that it could bring out the teeth-grinding in me. And if that person were anyone other than Eddie Izzard, then there's a slim chance you might be on the money.But Eddie is – and was always – so smart and cool and talented and driven and open and just bloody nice, that honestly, it's just impossible to feel anything other than “yay”. And I know that's true for everyone who used to work with him in his days as a street performer in London's Covent Garden. He's worked so damned hard and he was always so damned good that there's a bizarre sense of pride from his ex-colleagues that he made it, and made it so big.It seems to me that he was never chasing fame for the sake of it, but rather pursuing the path that would let him realise the beautifully ambitious ideas that fizzed around in his head. For him, I think, it's about adventure and communication and exploration, and really, what better way to live a life?I used to enjoy watching his street shows, and I enjoy watching his shows now too. He makes me laugh, of course, but more than that I find him immensely inspiring. I'm assuming he knows that he has that effect on people. Being aware of the lack of boundaries that he puts on what he is capable of accomplishing, gives me the impetus to try to think the same way. So I thank him for that.I also thank him for taking the time out of his unimaginably busy life to sit down with me for the best part of an hour and chat about his work, with a bit of a focus on his time as a street performer, and how that influenced what came after. The interview will be part of the June London Varieties Web TV show, and podcast, so you'll have to wait a little while to watch it – make sure you follow me on twitter so you're the first to know when it's up online.In the meantime, you might want to book some tickets for the next live London Varieties – it's going to be a blast...
- May 03, 13Next show is May 30th, 9.30pm at the Leicester Square Theatre,and we've got a cracker of a line-up..ABANDOMANWinner of Hackney Empire New Act of the Year, the Musical Comedy Awards and the 2012 Adelaide Fringe Festival’s Best Comedy Newcomer Award, Abandoman creates hilarious freestyle songs at lightening speed based on audience suggestions.“Flight of the Conchords meets 8 Mile.” – Chortle.co.uk ★★★★“Truly innovative” – The Guardian“Killer punchlines. Note-perfect, lyrically mind-blowing hip-hop improv. Genius!” – The Stage“A star of the future!” – Time OutPIFF THE MAGIC DRAGONORIGINAL STREET DANCEFour of the UK's funniest burlesque and cabaret performers, Audacity Chutzpah, Ginger Blush, Shirley Windmill and Hotcake Kitty put an entirely new, or rather an entirely old spin on street dance in this vernacular spectacular!and very special guest..MICHAEL PEARSE
Michael is a veteran vaudevillian. A genius juggler, with an encyclopedic knowledge of the history of his art form, and a truly hilarious comedian, with a quick-fire wit that lets him out-gag most comedians. He's the master of some of the great juggling and balancing tricks from the glory days of music hall, and an inspiration to performers like me.
Skills as sharp as his jokes, it's a real pleasure to welcome this living legend to the Varieties for a chat and a glimpse of some of his classic routines.
Plus..
I'll be throwing around my hat and cane, and also debuting my brand new cocktail routine - probably the most complicated piece I've ever learnt!
It all happens one night only, at the Leicester Square Theatre, on May 30th, at 9.30pm
Book your tickets now!
Box Office: 08448 733433 Or click here to book online - May 01, 13
The joke, of course, being that in my line of work (and life, I guess) there is no "same old, same old". It's continuously different, every work day new, often with familiar ingredients, but more often than not, counterbalanced by fresh challenges. That's what makes it as fun and exciting as its unsettling and terrifying. And this week seemed like a good one for that.
Monday and Tuesday saw my daytimes spent coming to the end of the learning process for the electric carving knives trick. For those not up to speed, every month at Mat Ricardo's London Varieties, I set myself a challenge. A new trick or routine to attempt to learn in time to debut at the next months show. This month I decided to try something dangerous, and, after a little deliberation, settled on the juggling of three cordless electric carving knives, jammed in the "on" position. Genuinely dangerous, but kinda fun.
The danger part means that the practice sessions have to be very carefully planned out. First learn to juggle them switched off, to get an idea of the weight and spin, then start just tossing one from hand to hand while the motor runs, if that works, I move up to a juggling pattern with two balls and one knife, and if we get that far, then there's nothing else to do but go for all three. This was not without problems, as the video below shows..Luckily I had something fun to do in the evening to distract me from my impending unintentional manual amputation, which was that the WWE were in town. Regular readers will know of my love of professional wrestling, and of my connections to a couple of the performers in the WWE, which explains how I found myself sitting in the catering area backstage at the O2 arena, with my friend Andre, spending a very fun evening listening to wrestlers exchange Bernard Manning stories, while the live show played out the other side of the wall. Occasionally a wrestler would disappear from the room, appear on the plasma screen in the corner that relayed the live show, and then come back significantly sweatier to congratulations from the other performers.Tuesday night I returned to the O2, this time with my friend Roses in tow. She'd never been to a wrestling show before, and was as massively enthusiastic about the artform as she was massively pregnant. We were lucky enough to have ringside seats, which meant that at one point, legendary wrestler The Undertaker threw a man literally into my lap. Here's the moment just before it happened, with my stupid face helpfully labelled..Wednesday saw me perform at a gorgeous little cabaret show at Chiswick House, which ended with the delightful realisation that we were able to claim a free single malt each, and therefore I was afforded the pleasure of slowly dissolving into a big leather sofa while drinking a gorgeous whiskey in the company of fellow cabaret monkeys Ophelia Bitz and Bettsie Bon Bon. Fine way to de-stress.And I was a little stressed, because Thursday was the monthly Mat Ricardo's London Varieties night, and - along with some of my favourite cabaret and variety performers (Eastend Cabaret, Johann Lippovitz, Lisa Lottie), I was to interview Paul Daniels. This was quite the thing. I've written here before about the importance of Paul's TV show in putting me on this path, and if you know my work, you know the importance I place on the history of the variety artforms. I wanted to have Paul on the show because I feel that often he's under-represented in the mainstream - perhaps seen as an unfashionable relic, which of course he isn't, and the importance of his work is overlooked. Prime time Saturday night show for 15 years. More original magic tricks performed on TV than anyone else in history. But the kicker about having Paul on the show is that he's never stopped working - he out gigs most young stand-ups without breaking a sweat - which means that when he took the stage at the London Varieties, he machine gunned a curious audience with enough gags and tricks to have them eating out of his hand in no time at all.It was a very fun night, and one that you'll be able to watch in glorious HD video, for free, right here, in a couple of weeks time.Friday was the opening night of the new Wam Bam Club night at the Bloomsbury Ballroom, and it was a hell of a night - a big art deco hall, lit perfectly, with two stages and a standing room only crowd, all held together by the frankly awesome Lady Alex. It is, to paraphrase another very fine hostess, a truth universally acknowledged that I adore a funny woman, and Alex is very funny - she treads the perfect line between classy showgirl and saucy cow - it works for her brilliantly and it was lovely to see her new venture succeed so spectacularly.
The weekend passed in a bit of a blur - burlesque show on Saturday, and then two performances as part of an old time music hall show at the Charing Cross Theatre on Sunday, during which I came perilously close to causing some heart attacks in the slightly older than usual audience by doing my bowling ball routine. I was, to quote Al Murray on last months London Varieties, being an agent of mischief, as I should be.And then it was my birthday.I'd arranged to meet a few people for a little drink, and as I got off the train and headed to the bar, I started to dwell on the stressful rubbish that we all spend too much time dwelling on. My body was walking down The Strand, but my mind wasn't aware of any of that, idling in anxious little spirals of worry about ticket sales and Edinburgh shows and work and money and all the things that distract us from being in the moment.And then I looked up from my feet and saw that they had taken me to the West Piazza of Covent Garden. I was standing under the portico of the church, exactly where I used to stand in the 15 or so years that I made my living as a street performer there. And I spent a few minutes just examining the view. Looking out at the same things I'd see just before I stepped out onto the cobbles and tried to get a crowd. How many times had I done that? How many times had I been short of rent, and had to do that? Lots.I reached up to the left hand pillar and checked that the old rusty nail that I used to hang my jacket on was still there. It was. I smiled to myself. Then I heard music, and wandered up to the other pitch, the North Hall, to find the wonderful Terry St.Clair playing his gorgeous, melancholy songs to a small audience. I stayed and watched for a few songs. He saw me and we waved hello to each other. Terry was playing here - right here, on those exact same flagstones - years before I arrived at Covent Garden, and here he is, still writing songs, playing them, selling CDs and being totally content with his lot. Someone once worked out that if you counted all the CDs Terry had sold from his guitar case in the decades he's been performing, he'd have a gold record.And I had a nice little cry, as once again, street performing taught me a lesson about art and commerce, and I went to meet my friends for a birthday drink.At one point, I had to introduce some of my friends to others who hadn't previously met. I went round the table, "director, producer, sound engineer, escapologist, burlesque performer, clown, tap dancer, body builder..."You get how happy this made me, right?Please come to this. It'll be very fun! Click here for tickets - Apr 18, 13Here's episode two of Mat Ricardo's London Varieties, featuring Elliot Mason, Pete Wardell, Al Murray and The Boy With Tape On His Face. Watch! Enjoy! Share!If you'd like to download of listen to the podcast version of the show, you can get it from iTunes, or listen to it online here. If you like it, please take the time to leave a review on iTunes, it really helps.If you enjoyed that, and fancy coming to see it live...The next show happens on April 25th, and as you can features an amazing line-up of variety talent, all topped off with a bona-fide legend. To book your tickets call 08448 733433, or click here.Also, I'm taking a brand new one man show to the Edinburgh fringe this coming August. It's called "Showman" and I'm genuinely really excited about it. I'll be doing a couple of previews in London, and I'd love you to come..22nd June, as part of the Jackson's Lane Postcards festival (With secret special guest!) - Book tickets here11th July, in the Leicester Square Theatre studio - Book tickets hereFinally, I wanted to share some of the great reviews we've got for the first couple of shows of this season of The Varieties. It couldn't have happened without the continued support of my crazy audience, so thanks!
"Thankfully there is still someone out there that “gets” the power of a proper variety show, and his name (or at least his stage one) is Mat Ricardo...a polished, enjoyable tour de force... a damn sight more talent on offer than anything Simon Cowell’s produced in years." ★★★★
Broadway Baby
"In terms of entertainment value, London Varieties simply cannot fail as it crystallises the best in the business in one live show."
The Stage
"If you thought variety shows were stuck way back in the black and white times of entertainment, then you’d be right. Well that is until Mat Ricardo got his grubby little hands on it and made it cool again. Frank, honest and fucking funny, Mat has devised the winning formula for variety in 2013.
We’ll be back for the next one."
Zip Magazine
Can't tell you how pleased I am that people seem to be getting what I'm trying to do.
Hooray! - Mar 31, 13When I was young, I was shy, and - like most teenagers - scared and unsure of what I might do with my life. I was learning to juggle, but that was just a distraction, surely, from whatever it would be that I'd do for a living.Every Saturday night, I would sit down and watch - along with a pretty hefty chunk of the nation - The Paul Daniels Magic Show. For fifteen years, it was the centre of BBC weekend prime time. Massive viewing figures, stars from all over the world. It was the shiny floored showcase of the world of the circus, variety show and cabaret club.And I started to realise that some of the guest stars were jugglers. I began to get the first glimpses of the people who would go on to become my heroes and inspirations. The great Kris Kremo. The hilarious Rob Murray. The astonishing Nathalie Enterline. And, of course, the godlike George Carl. These people sent me a message, although they didn't know it. They showed me that there might be places that I could make a living out of this stupid juggling lark. if I was good enough, and lucky. And that was all I needed. That helped push me onto a path that I will never leave.Which is why it will be a privilege to be able to welcome Mr. Paul Daniels onto the stage of the London Varieties on April 25th. He'll be talking about his life and career, his art, his heroes and inspirations, and his thoughts on the current state of variety. He'll also be treating us to a couple of his classic routines. I truly can't wait.But that's not all - we also have the hottest stars of the international cabaret circuit Eastend Cabaret, the hilarious Austrian interpretive dancer Johann Lippowitz, and the truly incredible Lisa Lottie.Oh, and I'll be attempting the single most dangerous feat of dexterity I have ever tried.It's going to be a hell of a show. Hope to see you there.Winner of best new light entertainment show of the year – The Stage"Thankfully there is still someone out there that “gets” the power of a proper variety show, and his name is Mat Ricardo...A tour de force!" ★★★★ - Broadway Baby“Guaranteed entertainment” - This Is Cabaret“Exhilarating – you need to go!” - ToMaxTalks.com“Captivating..Unique..Superb” - Ben Walters, Time Out“Brilliant! Not to be missed!” - Liz Arratoon, The Stage
- Mar 14, 13Hope you like it.
- Mar 11, 13
The glamorous women in the promotional picture above are The DeLuca Sisters. Elsa and Paula. I don't know which is which.
In an era when strongman juggling acts were fairly common, they were one of the few strong woman acts. Of German/Italian descent, they performed in American variety halls throughout the thirties. They weren't particularly famous, indeed, you'd be hard-pressed to find a juggler these days who's heard of them, and no footage of their act exists, but they performed - as you can see from the pictures - what looks to be a very entertaining spot.
One of the key tricks in a heavyweight jugglers act is the neck catch. A heavy cannonball is catapulted thrown, or juggled high into the air, and then caught, perfectly, on the back of the performers neck.
The dangers of this trick are obvious. A fraction of an inch too low and its landing directly on the most fragile and exposed part of your spine. A touch off to one side and it's dislocating a shoulder. A hair too high and its hitting the base of your skull.
And, during one performance in 1936, that's what happened to poor Paula DeLuca. A slightly misjudged throw sent the cannonball colliding with the back of her head. She collapsed on stage. Three days later she was dead. She was 22 years old.
Perhaps it's my continuing obsession with connecting to the lineage of my artform, or perhaps it's my love of old fashioned showmanship and hucksterism, but either way, I have had a thought.
In the entertainment business it's all too often about the exaggeration, the promise of the impossible, the bait and switch, but sometimes - especially in circus - honesty and genuine risk is where it's at.
So.
At the next London Varieties show, at the Leicester Square Theatre, on March 28th, I shall be attempting the cannonball neck catch. Cannonballs are hard to find these days, but I think I have a suitable replacement. 16lb bowling balls.
This isn't magic. This isn't illusion. This is me literally risking my neck by betting on my hands.
I will be attempting the trick that killed Paula DeLuca.
Please come. - Mar 07, 13I'd been booked to do a short spot as part of a new night. Bit of a low ceiling, and not the biggest of stages, I'd been told, so it was in my interest to get there early to scope the place out. I had not been misinformed.I had about a foot and a half above my head to play with, which I actually kinda like. It looks like more of a problem than it is, and, as someone well-versed in theatrical cliché once said – a problem, to a clown, is a gift. About half of the basement palaces of fun that I regularly work have similar height issues, and I always figure it benefits me. I stride on stage, announce that I'm a juggler, look disdainfully upwards, and there's my first laugh. The audience realise that I could be in trouble, and whatever happens, they'll enjoy it, and we're away.But there were added problems tonight. The stage was indeed tiny, and was entirely taken up with a full band. There was literally about a foot and a half square of space for the singer to stand in, and nothing else. So, I'd be performing on the floor in front of the stage. Not ideal, but needs must.As the place started filling up, my stomach started to knot. If the venue was shaped like a bent arm, then the stage was located at the elbow. Two thirds of the room in front, but about a third, including the bar, behind and to one side. I sat in the corner and watched how the room was working, the same way I used to watch how people would pass by a busking pitch. Find the flow. Find the pockets where people lose interest. Find the problem areas.This place was all problem area. It's bad enough trying to do comedy when there's a working bar in the room, but having one close by, and behind me meant that the people there wouldn't feel part of the show, and therefore wouldn't mind making a little noise. And as for the audience that stretched out in front of me, well, the back half were tucked behind the sound booth, and that combined with me working on the floor meant that they wouldn't be able to see me, so they'd lose interest and start talking too. Ok, I thought, so I'm working to the small bunch of tables right in front of me. Not ideal, but still totally doable.The material I had brought with me was the kind of stuff I often do in small clubs and comedy venues – basically a combination of stand-up and tricks. Tried and tested. But slowly it dawned on me as I saw the other acts, that every one else on the bill was a singer. I was the only non-musical act. Might have been smarter to have bought my more circusy stuff, that gets performed to music. Oh wait, not enough ceiling height for that. Stuck with this. Hm.But it's ok. I get to open with one of my favourite gags. It never fails, and always gets the audience on side right away. It's fine, as long as I've got the tables right in front of me onside, then we'll have fun.I'm waiting by the bar now, and the show has started. The first music act is done, and the second is halfway through. People are talking through the songs a little. There's a particularly oafish fat drunk in a cheap grey suit at the bar, and he's got no problem shouting at the performer who dares to keep singing over his criticisms of her waistline. My heart sinks further and my eyes roll harder. I'm up next. Focus on the audience closest. Make them your friends by showing them your problems, then make 'em laugh by overcoming them. Textbook. Done it a million times in situations way worse than this. Here we go. I look behind me and see that the fat loud guy has vanished from the bar. Ok. Good.There's my intro, here I come. Something's different. The lights have changed from the rehearsal. All I can see is one white, dazzling, spotlight, rather than the warm wash we had planned. No problem. Let's hit that opening gag. My microphone is cutting out, and when it does work, it's too loud. I sell my opening gag like a pro. Small laugh. People are talking.I get stuck into the act, trying to give it some pace and energy, but every other gag I throw misses, and so do a couple of the tricks. There's a loud laugh from the front table – clearly at me, rather than with me. I squint through the spotlight to see that the fat guy from the bar has now taken his seat. Front row centre, trashed and with his sights set on me.The familiar cold, heavy feeling in my gut. Knowing how the next 10 minutes of my life are going to pan out. Most of the tables are enjoying it, but the ingredients have already formed the perfect storm. Less than half the venue can see me. Waitresses are pushing past me delivering drinks. My microphone is still cutting out, and those gaps in the audio are replaced by the fat guy laughing the word “Twat” at me as loudly as he can. And I think that the punchyness I'm trying to give to the act is coming across as desperation. I feel the sweat run down my neck. Let's just make it to the end and not let it get any worse, I think to myself. And I do. Sprint to the finish. Hit the final couple of tricks and they get decent responses. By that time, I think, people had started to realise that the fat guy was an asshole, and that his douchbaggery was far greater than my failure to set the room alight. But still.I get off and slope backstage like Charlie Brown on a bad day. The other acts tell me how great it was, but they do it with that wide-eyed “please take what I'm saying at face value, it's fine, everything is fine” expression that we both know what's going on. The compère of the show – someone I completely adore, am a fan of, and therefore, of course, want to impress, gives me my pay in an envelope with one hand and squeezes my shoulder with the other, and I leave the scene of the crime.And it's fine.I had a bunch of gigs this month, and every single one of the others were great. Some were stormers. For every single minute of stage time I had last month, I felt about as relaxed and happy as I ever feel. Cliche (and disfunctional) though it is, I rarely feel as in the moment and blissful anywhere else as I do when I'm on stage. So, then, I think it's good to be reminded of how valuable and special that is once in a while.Once a year, let's say. To die on your ass, once a year, (ideally in front of someone you admire) is healthy. Keeps you on your toes. Every fighter needs to get rocked by a overhand right every so often, just to remind him to keep his hands up. Back in the day, after a gig like that, you would have found me sobbing into a clamshell of chips on a train platform (As happened in the late 80's after a gig at the bearcat club that ended a couple of minutes after it began, with members of the audience throwing my own props at me..), but these days, I know a little better. It still hurts, sure, but I'm able to analyse what was within my control, what wasn't. What I can improve on, and what I can't.And these days there are enough amazing gigs to more than balance it out.Talking of which...Yes! The 2013 season of Mat Ricardo'sLondon Varieties kicked off last week at the brilliant Leicester Square Theatre. We had a packed bill of variety performers from all over the UK, and I got to interview the lovely Omid Djalili. It's been a stressful old time, putting these shows together, but walking out on stage on that first night was – as I knew it would be – like slipping into a warm bath.As I said, I often feel my most relaxed and happy on stage, and I can pinpoint the moment in last weeks show where I felt happiest. I had invited my old friend Andre Vincent on stage to trade a few hat tricks. We had planned to attempt a five-hat, two person move. Not spectacularly difficult, but for two men in their 40's who hadn't done it for years... well, it took a few attempts, a few failures and there was a moment when, after yet another calamitous fail, we were both just bent over double laughing at ourselves, as the audience did the same. Blissful.Next month - March 28th - we have a truly incredible bill: I'll be interviewing Al Murray, and we'll be getting performances from the Boy With Tape On His Face, Award-winning magician Pete Wardell, the hilarious Elliot Mason, and of course a brand new trick from yours truly!Tickets are flying for this, so click here and book now!
- Feb 03, 13This happened at some point in the last 5 years. I think that's vague enough that I'm not incriminating or annoying anyone.So I get a phone call. Am I free next Thursday for a gig. Late night, about 11pm. My usual cabaret spot, but for a very small audience. Five people. Sure, I thought to myself, this sounds weird enough to be interesting. Turns out I was kinda right.“Ooh”, says the booker, “We've got a beautiful girl – maybe she could be your assistant for your act?”, “Well, no, I don't really use an assistant”, I explained, “It's a solo act, and it's all kinda set in stone..”, “Of course. Sorry. Yes. Totally understand”, slight pause, “What if she was dressed as a sexy French maid and she could..”, and that's how we chatted for a little while until we agreed that I'd just be doing my act, sans sexy French maid.So, Thursday rolls around and I arrive at a fairly posh London hotel, and get taken up to the dressing room, which is the gym. I'm not the only act on the bill. Turns out it's a small variety show, featuring myself, dancers, a magician and a host. We're all a little amused and confused about how the night will play out, and this feeling doesn't go away when the booker arrives and tells us that the main guest has just woken up, so we might be starting the show a little late. So we wait, chatting about how we don't know, really, what's going on. And then he's ready and I get taken up to the suite where I'll be performing, to set my props.Suites in posh hotels are like little apartments. Not so little actually. Electronic keypad entry, corridor with bedrooms off it, then around the corner, down a couple of stairs into the lounge where we'll be doing the show. There are three sofas, and on one of them sits a middle-aged middle-eastern man. He's wearing the hotel bathrobe, seems half-conscious, and is sucking on a hookah. The other two sofas are occupied by two young women per sofa, also middle-eastern. Dressed to the nines in micro skirts, tight tops and killer heels. Each with a hookah pipe in one hand and smartphone in the other.The air is thick with the sweet sickly smoke from the waterpipes, and I start to set my props as I watch the hotel butler liaise with the private security team about how best to bow and/or scrape. I've done small private shows like this before, and there's a way to do it, a way to slightly change the manner in which you talk to the audience to make it work – a way to engage them as a group of individuals rather then an audience, that works nicely. But this already felt a little off. But I'm nothing if not a battle hardened pro, so I was up for fun.I do my act. All five of them occasionally glance in my direction from under droopy, tired eyelids. Jetlag? Hookah? They're much more engrossed in the phones and their smoking to give me much more than some cursory attention. They're like this for the whole show. Disconnected. Except for two moments. Whenever a female performer does anything...well, pretty much anything at all, the man yells “SEXY LADY” to which the girls all immediately reply, in unison, “OWWAA!”, and fall about laughing. They do this dozens of times. Fuck knows.Their second choice of engagement was a little more challenging. Whenever I, or the magician, do a trick, the man gets to his feet, points, and loudly attempts to explain how the trick is done. He was, of course, always wrong – especially bearing in mind that I'm a juggler, so the only secret to how any of my tricks are done is shitloads of practice. But this didn't stop him. He'd leverage himself to his feet, stabbing his finger at my face and bellowing “AHA! THIS IS MAGNETS. SEE? YES! I SEE! I KNOW!”, before sitting down, satisfied with his dominance of me, and waving his hand to signify that I may continue, as the girls applaud his astonishing insight.I finally get to the end of my act. I pull the cloth. No response. I put it back on. Nothing. Politely half-hearted applause, mainly from the other performers, as I exit, shaking my head with a bemused grin on my face.While the rest of the show ran, I waited in the corridor. At one point, one of the young women walked past me and went into one of the bedrooms. As her bedroom door slowly continued opening behind her for a handful of seconds and I got a glimpse of a few things in her room. A slice of her life. The door swings open. A rack of couture outfits that had clearly been brought in for her to choose from. It swings open wider. A transparent bag the size of a suitcase by her bed, completely filled with every brand of prescription medication you could imagine. The door swings open wider. Her bedside table, with some bricks of money laying around on it like they were coffee mugs waiting to be washed up. The she breezes back out and slams the door behind her, leaving me slack-jawed in her wake.I collect my gear, pack it away and leave. As I go, the booker says thanks, pays me, and gives me a tip. I go outside, enjoy some fresh air and get a taxi.According to the booker, this is what these people do. All the time. They're obviously obscenely wealthy, and this is what they do with their riches. They spend their lives – literally – travelling from hotel suite to hotel suite in various cities of the world. They have food, shopping and amusements brought to them. They don't go out. And that's when, as I sat in the back of a black cab heading home, I started to feel a little queasy. Maybe it was the hookah smoke. Maybe not.I turned it over and over in my mind. I'm a dweller. I mull. I started to feel sad. For me, sure, having to work to an audience that couldn't care less is never fun. For the other acts, for the same reason, too. But also for them.What a dull way to be rich, I thought to myself. What a waste of incredible privilege. To see a string of the world's most amazing cities from the picture window of a climate controlled luxury hotel suite. They probably brag that they've been to, say, Rome, or Paris, or Las Vegas, or New York, but of course they really haven’t. They're using their fortune to buy a kind of bland, basic comfort. The luxury, I suppose, of disengagement. Seems all wrong. If you had millions wouldn't you use it to have adventures? To increase your level of engagement with more people in more exiting places? It felt like they were using it to just fall asleep on the sofa in front of the TV.I rode home in the taxi, grateful for the clubs that make up most of my work. Grateful to be able to work for audiences that get dressed up and go out hunting for something they've never seen before. People who are not millionaires, but who still head out with their hard-earned cash looking for adventures. I was glad that mostly I get to work to people like that, because that night, I felt like a professional of another kind, brushing something unsavoury out of her hair as she heads home for a long hot shower.
- Feb 13, 13Very excited to finally officially announce the first three line-ups for the 2013 season of Mat Ricardo's London Varieties.
Big changes this year, and all for the better. We've moved to the Leicester Square Theatre - I truly love the venue we had last year, but I wanted to follow in the footsteps of so many of my heroes and do a big variety show in the West End. And that's what's we're going to do!
All the features and surprises you loved last year will be back, bigger and crazier, this year. But we're adding some stuff..
Just last like year, the interview from each show will be podcast, but additionally, an edited version of the show will be professionally filmed and put online so you can watch it at home! For free! I figured if TV won't make a proper variety show, then I will!
And, as you can see, we've got some big names. Some of them you'll know, and some of them maybe you won't, but every single person on all of the bills is the absolute best at what they do, and I'm proud and - frankly - stunned to be welcoming them to The Varieties. We've got some bona-fide legends and heroes of variety and circus coming your way this year.
I'd also like to thank Unum for their help with this project. Unum are, as you might know, the company whose TV advert I appear on, and they've been kind enough to sponsor the 2013 season of The Varieties. Without their help, none of this could have happened. Hooray for them!
For the opening night we've got the hilarious Kev Orkian, the UK's funniest magician John Archer, the spectacle that is Craig the Incredible Hula Boy, and I'll be sitting down for a chat with the brilliant Omid Djalili - comedian, actor, and - recently - high diver!
It's going to be special, and if you ever considered coming to one of these shows but haven't - now's the time! Get yourself a ticket to the first night and lets pack that theatre and show the West End that there's an audience for a knock-down, drag-out, no-apologies, no-compromise variety show! - Dec 03, 12Yep.So season one of the London Varieties was pretty much - at least in my opinion - the best thing I've ever done. Those six nights from Feb to July 2012 were truly special to me. Luckily, I get the feeling - through tweets, emails etc that they were special for a lot of the people who came to them too.So we're doing it again next year, but bigger and better. Much bigger, and much better.We've made the move into the West End! We'll be at the Leicester Square Theatre, once a month, starting Feb 28th.And that's not the half of it - there are going to be a bunch more surprises to spring between now and the opening night, but for now, allow me to give you a sampler of some of the performers we have already confirmed to appear in the 2013 season:PAUL DANIELSKEVORKIANTHE BOY WITH TAPE ON HIS FACEEASTEND CABARETABANDOMANPIFF THE MAGIC DRAGONPAUL ZENONJOHN ARCHERThat enough to whet your appetite?And yes, there will be interviews, and yes there will be rare archive footage, and yes I'll be learning a new trick every month.There's so much more to tell you, but for now - make sure you're following me on twitter, spread the word, mark the 28th Feb in your diaries, and get yourselves ready - I can't wait to take to the stage again and kick off another season of your London Varieties!Oh, and in case you missed season one of the show - here's what happened...
- Nov 05, 12Regular readers will remember my time hanging out and interviewing the great William Regal a few months ago (and if you haven't seen that post, you can read it and download the interview podcast here). We keep in touch, and last week he let me know that WWE was swinging through London on one of their crazy European tours, so on a freezing but sunny Sunday, off we went to Wembley Arena to see the show and hang out with one of the best old pros in the business.It was a fun show, but the best match for my money was the one Regal was in. How can you not love a man who cheats his way through a match, does an old Catweazle gag (Seen here at about 8.30), and then finds a reason to do the Morecambe and Wise dance? Put that together with some of the best technical skills anywhere, and the absolute greatest facial expressions bar none, and frankly, if you're not a fan, then you're no friend of mine!Chatting to him afterwards is a lesson for anyone involved in the entertainment business. There's no swagger. Nothing is taken for granted. he's soft-spoken, and thoughtful about the art form and his place in it. And he's very aware of the financial sacrifice that families have to make to come to one of these shows - he knows times are tough, and he knows that wrestling has always had a predominately working class fan base, so he makes sure to deliver the absolute best performance he can. I'm not sure I've ever met a performer for whom giving the audience value for money is so important. There's a few out there who could learn from that.It was interesting to hear him talk about how he finds performing on home turf tricky. He's usually a heel - that's wrestling speak for a bad guy - but when he's working in his home country, the audience won't let him be - they just refuse to boo him - so he has to be a good guy (a "face"), which he finds a little challenging. You wouldn't know that from watching though, and by god, the love in that arena for him was a beautiful thing. As his entrance music hit, the guy behind me in the audience literally shouted to himself "Wait..that's regal's music..is he? IT'S REGALLLL!"So the combination of good seats and a smuggled in zoom lens, meant that I could do a little shooting, which are the images that accompany this post. Hope you like.
The last time I was at Wembley Arena was last year, when I was asked to shoot a few portraits of some of the TNA wrestlers - if you're interested, you can see the results of that shoot here.
Oh, and finally, don't forget to mark Feb 28th in your diary. Announcement soon. Promise. - Nov 01, 12Had a lovely afternoon shooting some promo images for the very funny Ria Lina. Had the pleasure of sharing a venue with her at this years Edinburgh fringe, and it was a great watching her show get tighter and tighter every night until I sat there in the back row on the final night of the fringe and watched her just kill from start to finish. Nice.Had an interesting weekend of gigs - did a show for an entirely Christian audience. I initially felt a little unsure about doing this one - I'm an atheist, and worried about the correct-ness of me doing the gig, both from my perspective and from theirs. I decided that if I'm wanting the more evangelical Christians to be tolerant of others, then the least I could do would be to be tolerant of them, so I took the gig. Turned out that on a weekend full of gigs, most of them to at venues that would be considered much cooler, they were by far the nicest audience, and I was glad I did the show.Although, it wasn't entirely without amusing incident. It was a circus themed show, so during the evening they had video projectors showing a looped montage of circus and variety acts on the walls of the function room. They left these videos running while I was performing, which meant that halfway through my act, I look up to see my old pal Piff staring down at me..In other news, I did an interview for the Busker Hall Of Fame podcast, with excellent fellow Mike Wood. I see my days as a working full-time street performer to be probably over, although it's always there if the gigs dry up, and that's not in any way a joke. Having said that, I look back on my years street performing with a mix of fond nostalgia and gratefulness not to be doing it any more. Throughout the ups and downs of that life, though, it taught me a hell of a lot of the things I use most nights when I step onto a stage. I had a lot of fun doing the interview, and if you want to listen to it, click below.Finally, some of you have been asking if I plan to do any more Mat Ricardo's London Varieties next year. The answer is yes, I certainly do. I'll have some very exciting news to announce in the next couple of weeks, but until then, I'll say this - mark out February 28th in your diary. :)
- Oct 10, 12The text arrives from Mannish ("Out of frisky & Mannish", as Smash Hits would have put it): "Are you free on Tuesday, please say yes". Something was occurring. I don't watch X-Factor myself, but apparently something called a Gary Barlow had been using the word cabaret in a derogatory way. Oh dear. Seems to me that someone who's supposed to have their chubby little finger on the pulse of entertainment should know that cabaret is where much of the cool, interesting, new, edgy, fun stuff happens these days. That's a shame for him, because Frisky & Mannish had decided to do something about it, and were rallying the cabaret troops. And boy, do we like a fight. We're scrappy.So, how else to explain some of the brightest talents in the UK cabaret scene (and your friendly neighbourhood tablecloth-puller..) gathering together, in full finery, complete with film crew, to spend a day being witty, silly, and cool? There was lip-syncing, brainwashing, makeovers and awesomeness. And soon, you'll be able to see the result - our response to those permatanned talent-puddles daring to use our word to describe something mediocre. This was one of those days where you remember why you do this. It's the next day as I write this and I'm still grinning like an idiot, and humming a certain brand new protest song.I brought along my camera, so you can get a sneak behind the scenes peek at what went on below...
- Oct 06, 12When I was, oh I don't know, about 7 or 8, on the last day of term before the Summer break, my teacher sat me down and told me that because my handwriting was so bad, I'd have to keep a diary of what I did on my holidays for her to inspect when the next school year began. She gave me a blue exercise book and told me to fill it. So I did. I took it away on holiday to Norfolk with me, wrote about all the long walks we went on, wrote about the meals we ate, wrote about going to the arcades on the seafront and riding in the little electric bumper cars. On the first day of term, I went to her office and presented my holiday diary. I sat quietly as she read it, watching her chuckle. Then she told me off, telling me that although I had kept a very good diary, my handwriting was still awful, and the pages were dog-eared and the book was battered, so I clearly hadn't understood the point of the task.Well, up yours, Mrs. WhateverYourNameWas. here's this years "What I did on my holidays" exercise book, and check out my handwriting these days - 12 point Times New Roman, and no dog-eared pages on this blog either, so ner.Anyway. So. Yes. We went on holiday. When I'm not travelling for work, I like to travel as light as possible, so as a little experiment, on this trip I left my usual posh camera equipment at home and used only my iPhone. I'm pretty happy with the results - obviously it's not going to replace my DSLR anytime soon, but it seems to be just as good as a point-and-shoot, and like they say - the best camera is the one you have with you... So..thoughts?Gatwick airport. Early morning. Myself and Mrs.Columbo are going through the security check. Security man checks my boarding pass and sees our destination. "Genoa?", he says. "Yep", I reply. Then he gestures to my wife, "Genoa?" and I grin at him and say "yeah", and he says "thought you did". I wonder how many destinations he has a gag for.
This dessert got me drunk. Gotta love Italy.
The weather was..dramatic. We had some blisteringly hot beach days, and then some days full of gorgeous dramatic thunderstorms, many of which we watched from our hotel room balcony. Thunder and lightning over the sea at night while we sit with a cocktail and a take-out pizza. Not bad.
Talking of Pizza, we paid a visit to my favourite pizza place in the World. they make a Gorgonzola pizza where the cheese is so sweet it almost tastes of vanilla, and so soft and gooey that you can grip the edge of the plate like a steering wheel and turn it, and when you do, the cheese in the centre of the pizza doesn't move. Good sign, right there.Italian men plan + morning coffee
I like a view, which is how we found ourselves taking an - it has to be said - fairly rickety cable-car up a mountain to Montallegro. And please don't think I'm suggesting the cable-car was untrustworthy purely for comedic effect. It had four large canisters full of water carefully placed on the floor at each corner of the car to stop it, one assumes, from swinging about wildly. Doesn't inspire confidence. Anyway, once we were up, it was worth it.
Amazing panoramas of the coastline, all the way to Portofino on one side and into a valley of pine trees on the other. Most people come here to trace the footsteps of the pilgrims who travelled up here by mule to visit the monastery. We're not the religious type, but it would have been churlish not to take a look since we were there. We walked down the long tree-lined path, and as we approached the wide stone stairs that lead to the monastery we heard a loud pop, a cheer, we see some confetti flitter down, and then - brilliantly - a brass band strikes up a bouncy, silly, fun tune. We look at each other with a grin, and walk a little faster up the stairs to see that someone has just got married. We stroll off to one side and for a few minutes we're sitting on the edge of a Fellini film. All the characters are accounted for - the stylish and fearsome elderly matriarch all in black with sunglasses, the gorgeous bride posing like a model for the photographer, the tall groom, slowly starting to believe his luck, gangs of guys in grey suits standing around smoking, packs of giggling women taking camera phone pictures of each other in various combinations, impossibly cute tiny bridesmaids chasing each other around in circles, and a slightly chubby little boy in shorts, sneakers, a bowling shirt and a bright red bow tie - his one forced concession for dressing up for the occasion. We sit quietly and take it all in, and it's all rather life affirming and wonderful. Then we go and get big bowls of spaghetti, which is also life-affirming and wonderful.Not a bad view from your wedding
Oh yeah, and I discovered coffee. I've never been a coffee drinker. I've tried, and I never hated it, but also I never really liked it. I felt kinda meh about the whole thing, which seemed to me the exact opposite of how one should feel about coffee. It should inspire passion, fanaticism and crazy nerd-like devotion, surely.
So we're in a restaurant, after a gorgeous meal, and my wife has an espresso. Try some, she says. And I do. And OhMyGodOhMyGodOhMyGod. It's delicious.
I had always kinda figured that coffee was one of those grown-up drinks, like beer and scotch, that you start off not liking and then, through determination to conform and be cool, you learn to love. I wasn't prepared for it to be so...tasty. All the other kinds of coffee still leave me cold, but espresso.. I have a new friend there. I'm on board. I'm in. And as I type this all I can think about is that I don't have one right now and I really should do.
And yes, I know that I'll be lucky to get one in London as good as the ones I had in small cafes in Italy. That's fine. I'll just have to make sure I go back to Italy soon. Two birds, one stone, right there. - Sep 23, 12
- Sep 19, 12It's been a long time since I really considered myself a proper street performer. Five plus years since I was a real Covent Garden pitch monkey. I left it partly because I was lucky enough to be offered work in surroundings less dependent on good weather and tourists, partly because I wanted to do some things that couldn't be done on the street, and partly because - frankly - the state of street performing in my home town made me sad. The last couple of years I worked the piazza were not happy ones for me. It felt artistically stale and often depressing. For me, it seemed like I dead end, so I did all I could to find another road.But... Every so often I get invited to an international street theatre festival, and sometimes I say yes, and occasionally it's as good as the one I just did. Perfect storm, kids. Beautiful Bavarian town, with wide cobbled streets, wonderful organisers who are truly fans of the artform, and the perfect group of people to share the weekend with (As seen in the Expendables-style group shot above). You got your clown from Portugal, your Spanish circus act, your New York magician, a juggler from Tel Aviv, an acrobat from Australia and a visual comedy supremo from New Zealand - all of whom were on planes this morning so that they could be together, here, this weekend. Not bad at all.The shows were lovely, the audiences excellent, the weather was perfect, the work was hard, sweaty and fun, and the evenings were warm and slightly drunken. And it made this boy fall in love with street performing - and street performers - all over again.At it's worst, street theatre can have more in common with street trading than theatre - people trudge through hackneyed old material that uses lazy stereotypes to get tired laughs from an audience, all the while doing tricks and routines that they saw someone else make money from, and decided to use. When you need to make money out of a pitch, artistic stagnation isn't too much of a concern to most. But for those that do care, who do regard what they do as theatre, who know that only an idiot judges the quality of art by its venue, well those people do some pretty amazing stuff. And lucky for me, it's those people that tend to get invited to the nice festivals. Lucky for me, because I'm as enthusiastic an audience member as I am a performer, and also lucky for me because those cats are excellent fun to hang out with.Here's to more of this kind of thing, please.
- Sep 06, 12
So, as previously noted, one of the highlights of this years Edinburgh Fringe was getting the chance to hang out with, and then interview, the great Mick Foley. Those that know me know that I'm a big pro wrestling fan - my opinion being that it, like street performing, variety and burlesque, is a greatly underrated theatre form. Dismissed as low-brow by those that have never really watched it, but known by those who love it to be often quite a bit cleverer than it appears to be. It's improvisational physical theatre disguised as sport, which makes it worthy of a look from anyone who claims to like underground performative artforms. ooh get me and my long words.
On it's good days, it's also funny, exciting, thrilling - sometimes literally death defying, other times genuinely moving. Which leads us to Mick Foley - a performer who has been all of those things, often in the same match, and who challenges the casual observer's idea of what a pro-wrestler should look like, think, say and do more than anyone else. "Four time World heavyweight champion" and "Three time New York Times bestselling author" don't often refer to the same person, but they do with Mick.
I'd never met him before, we'd been introduced via a mutual friend, but we got on immediately. Over a drink before the show he asked me questions about the fringe, and my experience with it, and we talked about the similarities between my artform and his - Mick mentioning how they're related because they both have roots in carnivals and fairgrounds, and about his recent move into stand-up comedy. And then we continued the conversation on stage, in front of a gorgeous crowd of fans who were, as I was, amazed to get the chance to spend some time with a boda-fide legend in such an intimate and relaxed environment.
So, click here to download the podcast either directly or via iTunes, bnd a couple of quick notes before you do..
At one point in the interview I show a brief piece of footage, which we then talk about - you can see it here.
If you enjoyed it, I'd be really grateful if you'd leave a review on iTunes - if you click that 5th star and leave something nice in the comments, it really helps. Thanks in advance.
Also, if you haven't already, do make sure to check out all the other podcasts in the 2012 season of The Varieties. We'll be doing season 2 next year, all being well. - Aug 30, 12
Ok, so here we go with the traditional post-Edinburgh Fringe wrap-up. It felt like an odd one, this year, with rollercoastery ups & downs aplenty, so we'll start with the cons, and then move on to the pros. Grumble first, then leave 'em happy - that's the rule.
Cons.
This seemed, at least to me, like the year that the cabaret world that we all love so much made variety acts like me feel a little less welcome in it's clubhouse. The TOAST award, which was supposed to recognise and celebrate cabaret work announced it's shortlist and revealed itself to be, with the notable exception of the wonderful Piff, a celebration of people who sing dark and/or sexy songs. It's very depressing to me that the genre of cabaret is increasingly redefined this way - don't get me wrong, all of the nominated artists that I'm familiar with, I like - but singers are just a thin sliver of the wide variety of performance styles that genuinely make-up the cabaret world. It would have been nice for the shortlist to be a little more reflective of the true nature of the cabaret scene.
A related issue was the differing reviewing agendas that a musical act faced versus a variety performer. Many of my colleagues from the variety arts were talking about the perceived unfairness of being criticised for performing a trick that the reviewer had seen before, or for not having a complete show of new material. This isn't a criticism that would be levelled at a cabaret singer, I think, so readily. Nobody is going to say that because one performer sings "Whatever Lola Wants" their way, another shouldn't be able to interpret it in a very different manner. And nobody is going to say that because someone sang their signature piece last year, they shouldn't do it in their show this year. But those same criticisms have been used to mark down several variety performers this year, which seems a little unfair - especially given how long it takes to learn a new magic trick or acrobatic move. Same rules for everyone, please, or at least justify why the goalposts have been moved.
Oh, and just while we're moaning about critics - my favourite (and most perfectly illustrative) quote this year was from a reviewer who shall remain nameless, and who had seen a show in which a performer juggled and ate the apple while juggling. He was amazed - having never seen this before- he even told his readership that they probably hadn't. And there's your problem. as most of you will know, the "eating the apple" routine is literally the oldest comedy juggling routine in existence. Popularized by Monsewer Eddy Gray of the great British music hall troupe "The Crazy Gang", and performed and re-interpreted by every student juggler, street performer, childrens party entertainer, variety schmuck and Las Vegas headliner since. It's simply one of the most classic and well-known routines in the history of variety and it seems to me that someone who's job it is to review variety performers should possibly know that.
So, yes, the cabaret press made me a little sad this year, but it wasn't all bad news...
Pros.
I was generally very happy with my show "Vaudeville Schmuck", and got some very lovely reviews for it. Also - even though it was an insane idea to take The Varieties up and to present a different line-up of acts every single night, somehow I did it. And boy was it worth it. Having a drink with Mick Foley and then taking him on stage to be interviewed in front of an gorgeous audience will stay with me for a long time. Thanks to all the performers who lent their time to come and play in my show - hope you all had fun.Abi Collins playing The Varieties in Edinburgh
We also did a couple of one-time-only collaborations - notably this one:
I was lucky in that every night, after I'd done my two shows, I got to stroll over to do a regular guest spot in Lili La Scala's "Another Fucking Variety Show". It's no secret that I'm a moody old thing, and the fringe isn't the easiest of alligators to wrestle, so some days I'd arrive at the show in fine fettle, and other days not so much. But it's a testament to the great audiences, brilliant performers and simply marvellous hostess, that every night I'd leave that dressing room feeling better than when I went in. Lili, Abi Collins, Lisa Lottie, Miss Behave, The Boy With Tape On His Face? Kings and Queens, ladies and gentlemen, Kings and Queens.I got to see Lisa Lottie do this every night
It was also great to see the aforementioned TapeFace Boy win the Fosters comedy award panel prize. If it was pretty much anyone else getting this level of success it would turn me back into the bitter old man that we all know and love, but Sam is deserving of it all. He's fucking great.
A few more things that made me very happy during this fringe...
Helen Arney, who bumped into me in the street one night as I was feeling very low, and, without really trying at all, got me cheerful just by being cheerful herself. She's good, that one.
My Walker Slater suit. If you know me at all, you'll know how seriously I take my suits. It was a complete pleasure to get a suit from Edinburgh's most divine tailors. These people know their stuff, so if you're in the area, I thoroughly recommend them. Click on the logo to visit their website.
What else? Oh yes - My wife arrived and took me to the seaside. Right in the middle of fringe madness, half an hour on a train and I'm full of Italian food and looking at this:I *so* married the right girl
So. All back, safe and sound. Thanks to everyone who helped kept me sane up there. See you next year. There, I said it. - Aug 18, 12
Bit of a lazy post, this. Sorry. I'm at the Edinburgh Fringe, and it's been a bit all-encompassing. Once I'm back home safe and sound, not spending my days flyering, and running from show to show in a fragile, sweaty mess, I'll post a proper blog about my experiences here this year, which have been..interesting.
But for now, here's some snapshots from the iPhone to help you, and me, remember that there is fun to be had if you look.Walker Slater, where I bought my gorgeous costume for this years show. and there it is.. Tricity Vogue's badges Actual sunny day. In Edinburgh. And there have been a few. Cabaret pizza club rules. Mr. Piffles gets smuggled in places a lot Only some of you will know what this means. It always brings a smile to my face. Total sweetheart. Had the pleasure of interviewing him on stage for the best part of an hour. Lucky boy, I am. Lisa Lottie is great. Fact. The worlds most adorable sword swallower Myra. Florian throws things around on my show. Audacity at the cashpoint Livingspace. And no, he doesn't. My fingers bleed daily because of this stupid plate routine. Love my job. - Jul 31, 12And so we came to the last London Varieties of 2012, and what a way to go out. Packed house. We used every single chair that we could find in the building and still quite a few of you had to stand. Sorry about that.It was a great show with guests from Australia, Canada, America plus plenty of home grown talent too, and a hilarious on-stage interview with Arthur Smith to top it all off.Towards the end of last year I had the idea to do a new kind of variety show - something that reflected the things I like, and the things I find interesting. I had no idea if anyone else would find these things interesting, but I thought "what the hell" and gave it a go anyway. From day one I've been stunned by the response. Pretty much every show has been sold out, full of the most beautiful, up for it audiences I have ever had the pleasure to play to. Every month I ended up sitting on my sofa in the early hours of the morning with my stash from the Brick Lane bagel shop and a daffy grin on my face. Not bad.It's taught me that I'm going in the right direction, and filled my head with ideas for next year. Oh yes, we're coming back, bigger and badder in 2013.But first, well there's Edinburgh. As I write this, my bag is packed on the floor behind me and I'm waiting for a taxi to come and pick me up and take me to Kings Cross, where my adventure at the Edinburgh Fringe will begin. Brand new one man show every night at 5.45, and the Varieties - the Voodoo Varieties, as it has been renamed for the fringe - every night at 8.15. Different line-up every night. Different interview subject every night. And yes, we're going to podcast the shows, so make sure you're subscribed to it on iTunes. We've got some amazing guests already lined up - go here to find out who.So. Thanks. Like I said at the end of the Varieties, I truly have wined and dined with kings and queens.Yes, and.
- Jul 30, 12This is the place to find the full line-ups for the Edinburgh fringe run of The Voodoo Varieties with Mat RicardoThis page will be regularly updated, so if you want the latest news on who's coming to the show to chat with me live on stage, then keep checking back - and for latest news follow me on twitter.1st TRICITY VOGUE, UP AND OVER IT and in conversation COPSTICK2nd SHLOMO, and in performance and conversation PAUL ZENON4th SARAH JONES, and in performance and conversation THE BOY WITH TAPE ON HIS FACE7th LORETTA MAINE, and in conversation PROFESSOR RICHARD WISEMAN8th In conversation - professional wrestling superstar MICK FOLEYand in conversation PIFF THE MAGIC DRAGON11th CHRISTIAN REILLY, and in conversation MISS BEHAVEAnd...in every show - stunning displays of dexterity from your host, rare and captivating archive variety footage, and some very special surprises!We expect many of these unique shows to sell out fast,so to be sure of a ticket...or call the box office on 01312260000
- Jun 25, 12
Photo: Jo Lewis I once fell flat on my face – literally flat on my stupid face – in front of 9000 people. It was the closing moments of a big German variety festival, and I was taking my final bow. I bounced up the steps to the stage and just caught the tip of my foot on the top step. WHAP. Down I went. The host’s words ringing in my ears, “Ladies and gentlemen, one more time for the gentleman juggler, the hilarious, Mr Mat Ricar..Oh..Oh dear..”. Now, obviously this hurt, both physically and, more importantly, emotionally. But what was the aspect that made me stick out my bottom lip and sulk for the rest of the night? Was it the sizeable gash on my knee where I’d sliced it across the edge of the step? Was it the knowledge that 9000 people had seen my self-esteem plummet through the floor?No. It was that I had ruined my favourite suit. Chester Barrie, Savile Row. Green windowpane. Fitted like a glove, hung like a beaut and made me feel like a million dollars. I looked down at my beautiful trousers and all I could see was a ragged tear that from thigh nearly to ankle, and worse, blood all over it. That was a sad day.I didn't always wear suits. I first started performing when I was teenage and impressionable. My influences were the jugglers in circuses or mid 80's street performers, so in the first couple of years of my career my choice of costume was mainly made dependent on the amount of sequins you could squeeze onto it. Then, as my tastes moved to American comedy, my style moved into the Hawaiian shirt phase, often paired with chinos and converse all-stars. Don't judge me too harshly, remember this was the 80's, Ok, no excuses, judge me harshly.But then as I matured and began to take my chosen profession more seriously, I started to spend more time researching my forebears, the previous generations of music hall and vaudeville performers who paved the way for me. I was a juggler, so perhaps it was time to see what other jugglers throughout history did, what they looked like, and more importantly what they wore. And what I found went on to be one of my most important influences, both on stage and off.In the heyday of variety, vaudeville and music-hall, there was a breed of performer known as the “Gentleman Juggler”, and they were great. They were immaculately groomed. Dressed in well-tailored suits, silver cuff-links, dress shoes, silk ties. They would have their stage set as a bar or a restaurant – somewhere that a gentleman of the time might go for a ravishing night out. They would saunter on, perhaps removing a top hat and throwing it casually across the stage to land on a hantstand, and they would spend the next few minutes performing stunning displays of balance, dexterity and co-ordination with the things a gentleman might find in the aforementioned bar or restaurant.They'd juggle fine bone china and furniture, spin bowls of soup on forks, flip spoons into glasses.. and the classic tablecloth-pull trick (and the one that I twisted into one of my signature pieces)? They invented it.They were dashing, handsome and stylish, and more than that – they were headliners.They exuded none of the fast, sweaty, attention seeking manner that plagued most jugglers. What they did wasn't showing-off, it was cool. They didn't do lame lines and old gags, they were slick and witty. And I wanted in.It took years to perfect the feats of dexterity that would form the backbone of my act, but the work had begun. Something I could change right now, though, was how I looked. How I presented myself.At that time, most of my work was as a street performer, and wearing a suit and tie changed everything for me. It made me feel more stylish, sure, and yes, more confident, but also more accomplished? Is that the right word? Maybe. It made me feel of more worth. As a street performer this was particularly important to me. I'd be on the train going to knock out some shows at Covent Garden, confident that nobody on the train would guess by looking at me, that I was a busker. Not that I was ashamed of it – quite the reverse – most of what I know about performing I learnt on the street, and I'm nothing but proud of my years there, but it was nice to be dodging peoples preconceptions so deftly, especially when most peoples preconceptions of street performers are so wrong.Once, in my pre-suit days, while hanging around under the church portico that forms the wings to the stage of Covent Garden Piazza, I was asked by a tourist if I was a street performer, I told them I was, they then asked me to point to where I sleep at night. The unpleasant assumption that a busker must be homeless wouldn't have occurred had I been wearing a suit and tie, I think.I was dressing for the job I wanted, not the one I had. And in doing so, gaining potential audience members confidences. Getting a crowd on the street is much easier if you look trustworthy, and for good or for bad (and despite life lessons from smooth bad guys in movies, Nazis, and bankers), people still do associate a good suit with trust.So these days my career is a little healthier and my stages tend to be in theatres and cabaret clubs, where people have paid before the show rather than by putting some money in a hat at the end, and this means, of course, that my menswear obsession has gained momentum.There isn't a men’s vintage clothes shop in London I don't know, and as my knowledge and understanding of the delicious nuances of a good suit increases, so does the wardrobe space needed to house them. My first one man show was even titled “Three Balls and a Good Suit” after my claim that all I need are those things.And the suits affect my performance more than I ever thought they would.I have a grey plaid single-breasted that I bought from a tailors on a trip to Venice. I picked it off the rack, put it on, and stood there as a small gaggle of chirping, well-perfumed, middle-aged Italian ladies flitted around me pulling, smoothing, measuring and chalking. I left the shop, had a pizza, did a show, and came back to find my suit altered to fit me perfectly. They gave it to me in crepe paper, folded correctly and tied up with a bow. That was a happy trip.It's a light cloth, and a good fit, but being Italian, it has a loose hang and moves a little around me when I move. So I love to use it for my hat and cane routine, which is dance-influenced. When I wear it, it helps me feel like I can move well. It helps the act, for sure.If I'm doing a club spot, something more stand-up comedy based, then I might wear the suit I'm wearing now. Second hand, Savile Row, heavy wool, brown and green check. It has a little label hidden away inside that says “Thorn proof”. It's like a suit of armour. And that's how it makes me feel – protected, safe. It's warm, comforting, tough and hard-wearing, like an East-End pub. And because it has the kind of structured Savile Row cut where the jacket gently holds you at the ribs, like someone encouraging you to stand upright and have slightly better posture. I feel bulletproof in it. It makes me a better comedian. And it was an incredible bargain at £100.More than individual acts though, I wear suits for two reasons. Firstly, I bloody love suits, so there's that, but secondly, I've somehow managed to squeeze a successful career out of stupid jokes and manual dexterity, it's ridiculous when you think about it -an don't think for a secon that I'm not very grateful that somehow I pay my mortgage from attention-seeking and showing-off. So here's the thing: I think there's something quite wonderful about dressing like a grown-up to do something childish.
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Mat Ricardo premières his new one-man show "Vaudeville Schmuck" in Cambridge and London in July, before taking it to the Edinburgh Fringe for all of August. Full details here.
He'd love you to come. - Jun 28, 12Here are full details and booking information for the two shows that I'm performing at the 2012 Edinburgh Fringe.The follow-up to the critically acclaimed, award-winning
one man show "Three Balls and a New Suit".A compelling, fascinating and hilarious look at the connections that link every circus, variety and vaudeville performer. Mat will astound you with feats of dexterity from long-lost acts, tell you stories from the forgotten greats of variety, and show you how history lives inside everyone who has ever done some schtick.Also: Bad language, Edutainment, and a Syd Little reference. You've been warned.Pre-Edinburgh preview showsCambridge Comedy Festival - 19th July, 7.30pm, Click here to book
Revival Festival, Marylebone Gardens, London - 23rd & 24th July, 7.30, Click here to book.
Edinburgh Fringe
The Ballroom, The Voodoo Rooms - 1st-26th August (not Mondays), 5.45pm
Click here to book.
Mat Ricardo's London Varieties comes to the fringe as
Voodoo Varieties!
One of the London cabaret scene hits of 2012, this is a variety show like no other. The Voodoo Varieties will feature an ever-changing bill of the best in circus, cabaret and variety, along with a special guest who will sit down with Mat Ricardo for an onstage interview. Plus rare archive footage of old variety acts, new material from Mat, and a series of unique surprises, and you have good times - guaranteed!
Every interview will also be release as a free podcast on iTunes. Click here to download previous shows.
Previous guests include Graham Linehan, Jenny Eclair, Frisky & Mannish, Lenny Beige, Arthur Smith, Eastend Cabaret and The Boy With Tape On His Face.
You can read reviews of the London show here and here.
Pre-Edinburgh preview show
Mat Ricardo's London Varieties
Bethnal Green Working Mens Club - July 12 - Click here to book.
Edinburgh Fringe
The Ballroom, The Voodoo Rooms - 1st - 26th August, 8.15pm - Click here to book.
Follow @MatRicardo on twitter to find out who each nights special guest will be!
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Press
★★★★★ - The Herald
★★★★★ - Fringe Guru
★★★★★ - LoveFringe"It takes more than dexterity to bring this timeless art to the forefront. It takes dazzling showmanship, spot-on comic timing and bucket-loads of style. It takes Mat Ricardo!"
ER Magazine
"Mat Ricardo is the best of both worlds - a genius juggler and a gifted comedian"
TimeOut.com
“A minor legend... We left feeling rather richer to have spent an hour basking in his warm and commanding presence”
Total Theatre
"The outstanding juggler of the cabaret and variety scene. Immensely skilled and very funny."
Time Out
"Dammit - this man is more likeable than an unexpected lottery win!"
The Londonist
"Probably the best juggler you will ever see"
What’s On Stage
"There's an undeniable grace and beauty to the routines he performs. Slick, sublime and eloquent – like being visited by the ghost of entertainment past"
The Skinny
"The undeniable highlight of the show...spectacular juggling...so funny that the audience laughed until they could laugh no more!"
Neuepresse
"The highlight of the evening...it became hard to breathe due to the constant laughter...simply magnificent!"
Parkscout Magazine
“Five stars for a juggler? I assure you, no mistake. And the prejudice which makes such acclaim seem surprising is just one theme of this wryly reflective show, which mixes envy-inspiring physical skill with a well-told, deeply personal tale.
He throws cigar boxes around, whips tablecloths away, and balances this and that on his nose. It’s impressive, it’s often hilarious… and if it were all he did, it would still be a fine way to spend an hour. But – while you’ll surely be impressed by his mastery of his craft – that’s not what makes this show. No, its true strength lies in its storytelling, looking back over a life spent perfecting this least-understood physical art.
It’s disarmingly candid and, at times, painfully poignant – but like the showman he is, Ricardo always has a joke standing by to defuse the tension and lift the mood. And the bonus of an hour spent with Ricardo? I laughed myself silly too.”
FringeGuru.com
"There’s a man onstage with a plastic cigar in his mouth. Balancing on this cigar is a pyramid of cigar boxes with a glass of wine on top. When the cigar boxes tumble, our host catches the glass and takes a sip.
This, as Mat Ricardo will shortly demonstrate, is the least of his talents.
In a brilliantly- written and consummately-delivered show, although Britain’s Got Talent’s mercilessly-pilloried producers may not agree, Ricardo relates how he avoided his prescribed careers in social work and funeral direction and took his ability to juggle around the world.
Some of his tales may well be tall but you’ll hope they’ re not, especially the one involving a cruise ship, an amorous couple, a midnight sea rescue and an alarm-raising voyeur with a video camera.
Meanwhile, back on dry land, Ricardo is daring us to heckle – he’ s experienced the worst, believe me – and performing outrageously skilful tricks with balls, hats, knives, carrots and machetes that to describe in detail would spoil the surprise.
Suffice to say, he does two variations on the tugging the table cloth from under the crockery routine: one features a one-legged table balanced on his nose, the other doesn’t – and that one you really have to see."
The Herald
"A relentless hour of hilarious, jaw-dropping fun..Ricardo’s smooth wit drives the show at full speed, teasing the audience with swift anecdotes of a two-decade career. The actual tricks are as stunning for their mastery as for their ingenious conception.
You’ll struggle to find an hour more tightly packed with cunning humour and spellbinding amusement. Three Balls and a Good Suit is more fun than most comedy shows, and certainly smells better than any circus I’ve been to"
ER Magazine
"There’s no doubting Ricardo’s talent as a juggler or a comedian. Like famed juggler Enrico Rastelli, Ricardo concentrates his well-honed skills on only a few props – balls, cigar boxes, throwing knives – but conjures some fantastic entertainment from them. If you think this is hyperbole, consider this -every year, Britain’s Got Talent writes to him inviting him on and every year he declines gracefully: “I have no desire to be fodder in your shiny-floored light entertainment slaughterhouse.”
Even when a trick goes slightly wrong, Ricardo covers with a ready gag and a smile – damn it, this man is more likeable than an unexpected lottery win. And that’s his forte: whether he is describing sexual escapades on a cruise ship, the ultimate heckle or a case of mistaken identity with a Department of Homeland Security officer, he carries us with him as assuredly as any stand-up we’ve seen."
The Londonist
You can read The Londonist's interview with Mat here.
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Photos
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Tweets
- @albionlondon Hooray!
- @raisaysso am following you :)
- @albionlondon and of course if any of you lovely folk would like discount tickets, just get in touch :)
- @albionlondon I have my own west End show! Any chance you'd help me spread the word? Info here: http://t.co/pTyVZmjSy2
- @albionlondon Hello! Remember me from the Unum tablecloth advert?
- @thecherryfox hello@matricardo.com
- @thecherryfox yeah..not bad..did you watch Studio 60 on the sunset strip? Only lasted one season. it's fucking awesome.
- awww "Go on" got cancelled. Enjoyed that show. Aboooo.
- Poster collage! http://t.co/dDL2iO0qU4
- RT @aljwhite: Quite a low point too. And to recall you only did get fired for being a mendacious crook. http://t.co/gWAyNQz2ah…
- RT @missbeautyl: I just entered a competition to win tickets to see @MatRicardo's London Varieties, sponsored by @AskUnum! Enter here:...
- @richardwiseman me too! Love to come do another one - and I have a bunch of new material for this years new Edinburgh show too!
- @richardwiseman Killer line-up!
- @hollywills Well he has his own West End Show! Any chance on a RT? http://t.co/pTyVZmjSy2
- @hollywills Remember when you were on the Jonathan Ross show with that guy who pulled tablecloths?
- @theatrethought fancy coming to my London Varieties show next thurs? http://t.co/pTyVZmjSy2
- Went to see @drummondrob's Bullet Catch at the Shed. Enjoyed! Looking forward to hosting post show panel discussion tomorrow night
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