INTERVEW:
COMEDIAN PAUL TONKINSON
ABOUT THE EVENT:
21st Feb 2013
The Y Theatre, Leicester
After storming the UK and international comedy circuits for years (and much badgering from fellow professionals) Yorkshire man, marathon runner and former (double award-winning) Time Out Comedian of the Year Paul Tonkinson takes to the road, with his eagerly anticipated debut tour.
Audiences can now encounter the full Tonkinson phenomenon; a master of physicality and impressions with a plethora of first class material brought to life with tremendous charm and infectious energy. Expect explosive, exuberant, tender comic reflections on love, food, family and the day-to-day idiosyncrasies of early 21st century living from one of the finest comedians in the UK. A guarantee of first-class laughs from a sensational live performer and top-billing stand-up star. (from Dave’s Leicester Comedy Festival website)
INTERVIEW BY DAVID SPOERRY:
I caught up with Paul midway through his tour to talk about student life, the importance of stand-up comedy in today’s world and of course the tour itself.
David Spoerry: So you’re about half way through your tour overall aren’t you?
Paul Tonkinson: Yeah I suppose I’m about half way through. It’s been going really well, it’s a right laugh. I’m enjoying it, the crowds are coming. It’s been really good fun, I should’ve done this a long time ago but I didn’t because this is my first tour. It’s been a joy.
DS: Brilliant. What in particular are you enjoying about it? I know there can be some negative aspects to being on the road. Do you get to go home at all?
PT: I pop home when I can but when I’m at home my life’s quite complicated, there’s loads to do. There’s kids to look after, dogs to walk, bills to pay, admin to be dealt with, food to be bought. When I’m on the road all I have to do is be funny that night, it’s actually quite simple for me. It’s much easier, life on the road driving and doing gigs and then driving somewhere else is a lot simpler than my life at home. And I’m loving the gigs, because I’m used to being on the comedy circuit which is quite competitive, you’re billed with other actors on stage, it can be quite hard work. It’s nice to have people just pay to see you, and you’ve got an hour and a half to do with them what you want. It’s very enjoyable.
DS: I would imagine so. You don’t have to qualify yourself as much early on as the people are there to see you.
PT: Yes to a certain extent, but you’ve still got to be funny. When you do stand-up comedy you have to be funny, you can’t coast. So even with this, I know some guys, big stars who do big arena tours, and they say that every time they go on stage they have to prove themselves. So they like you, they want you to do well, but still you have to do well. Comedy is a very honest endeavour; people know whether or not they’re having a good time and you know as well. So you go out there every night and you just give it everything, it’s great.
DS: So could you briefly summarize your show, what people can expect, what kind of guy you are on stage?
PT: It’s upbeat observational stuff, things people can relate to. It’s quite physical, it can be quite silly. I get the crowd involved in stuff. I’m a bit blue, there’s a bit of sauce in there, but it’s not too shocking. It’s essentially upbeat.
DS: The interaction with the crowd must vary every night; you must have an improvisational edge…
PT: Absolutely. Last night I did a gig in Kendal, and there was a sixteen year old kid down at the front, and he had his dad on his right hand side, and his maths teacher on his left, so that was a bizarre scenario and we talked about that for a while, and it ended up with him being infatuated with his maths teacher. You never know what you’re going to get, of course, what makes every show different is the crowd, so you’re thinking on your feet. But sometimes there’s nothing, you go out there, and you can tell they just want their stuff. It’s like “never mind the chat, bring the jokes!” and so you just play to that as well. You just assess early on and go with it.
DS: I guess that must keep it fresh, so you’re not just reciting the same thing to blank faces each night.
PT: Exactly, that’s the thing with stand-up, it’s GOT to be a new experience every night. I welcome that, and just throw myself into it wholeheartedly. It’s new for them and that group of people will only come together once so you have to bring it.
DS: You do such a range of places, I wondered geographically if you noticed any differences in the audience response, for example a north-south-midlands divide?
PT: I normally find midlands crowds quite relaxed actually. Quite mellow, quite open to a bit of good natured ribbing, but not too over-protective of where they’re actually from. They’re quite cool about it, whereas you do certain gigs in some parts of the country, like Liverpool which is a great crowd but they can be slightly defensive about their city. So you have to break through that comedically. In the midlands they seem pleased to see you, and into their surreal stuff actually.
DS: Agreed, that’s exactly why I like living here. But you go abroad as well…
PT: Yeah wherever people speak English I tend to do gigs, I do a lot of expat gigs, a lot in the Middle-East like Dubai, Abu-Dhabi where people constantly go on about what a good time they’re having, but they’re desperate for news from England. They’re a real party crowd, extremely hedonistic people, so that’s a great atmosphere.
DS: You’ve also done shows for the troops in Afghanistan and Iraq before, how did you find that?
PT: Yeah I’ve done lots over the years, Sierra Leone too. It’s a very intense atmosphere; I try to understand a bit about what’s happening over there, meeting some incredible people. The gigs over there actually feel useful. These guys need something; they need a boost if only for 20 minutes, because things aren’t easy of course, it feels quite necessary.
DS: Of course. I’m writing for a student audience, so I wondered when it was you started… were you young?
PT: I started when I was a student actually, I was at Manchester University, I kind of fluked my way onto the drama department there and I got in through clearing, all very last minute. They did comedy gigs on Wednesday afternoons, students performing to other students and I quickly realised I could do it which was amazing. I was 18/19 years old and I’d found out what I wanted to do. Ironically I was either going to do politics at Leicester or drama at Manchester and the latter came through. Then I started doing gigs in Manchester, I was actually earning money from comedy which made me I guess one of the coolest people on campus. Manchester had some comedy clubs growing at the time so I was doing gigs with people like Steve Coogan, John Thomson, Caroline Aherne and people like that so it was an exciting time.
DS: That’s ideal student life. So what sort of guy were you back then? The ‘life and soul’ attention-seeking kind of guy, or more of an observer?
PT: Well I’m the life and soul of the party if it’s a small party. I don’t have to dominate every social situation, I’m just too interested in other people to do that – I like listening. Comics are like sponges, always looking around for material and scenarios. I used to go clubbing like four nights a week; it was the days of the Haçienda and other clubs around Manchester, so I spent a lot of time dancing. I mean I did drama, it wasn’t that rigorous a course. I had a classic student time really.
DS: So I see. Well that leads me on to how you come up with your stuff. You say you’re like a sponge, so are you always switched on and looking for material? Or do you have to lock yourself in a room and have a proper think for a while?
PT: It’s a combination of both. I’m constantly alive to funny stuff, and I’ll make notes on my mobile phone (which has been a godsend, no more notepads). Then I sit down in a room, I don’t lock it, I trust myself to leave when I want. I make a coffee and see what I’ve got and try to muster it into a routine or story. It’s quite a simple process. But I’m not constantly on, I just file things away for later. Also after a gig is a very fertile time, your head is really alive after a good stand-up gig. I try to use that time to make connections. I see stuff on stage and get new ideas. You’ll often see me in the services at half one in the morning scribbling furiously.
DS: Going back to what you said about the gigs for the troops feeling useful, what are your thoughts on the importance of live stand-up? What with TV from all over the globe becoming so available, what’s the importance of performing live and people coming to see it?
PT: I think stand-up always survives and does well because it’s a very simple experience. People want funny people, they like live experiences too. As much as TV is constantly expanding on multiple channels, people don’t buy CDs and DVDs any more but they like the live experience of funny people or bands. People like stories and they like to laugh at their lives. They like to be lifted, so it’s no surprise to me that comedy has done well through the recession. It’s a fairly cheap night out and it can really give you a boost.
DS: Exactly, it’s always easier to laugh with other people. It’s infectious.
PT: Yeah absolutely it’s infectious, and it’s about momentum and getting people laughing really links them. It’s a good night out and a bonding experience for everyone, including the comic. It can be a very, very uplifting thing.
DS: Brilliant. Well I’ve used up my time I’m afraid. Thanks very much for your time, and have a great tour.
PT: Alright mate, good luck and take care. Bye.
PAUL TONKINSON: Website
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