Be In The IT Crowd

19 Jun

Let’s be honest, not many of us managed to be present at the recent filming of the last ever IT Crowd at Elstree Studios. However, you can still be in the final episode if you’re quick!

© Graham Linehan

Graham Linehan has requested that fans send in photos of themselves reacting to something outrageous on their phone or laptop. Ideally the photo should show a famous landmark in the background too (e.g. Eiffel Tower/North Pole/Great Wall of China).

So if you can take a snap of yourself pretending to look at something really shocking on your phone/laptop with a landmark in the background you have a very good chance of being included in the show. A bit like the photo on the right, but with a real (and arguably less phallic) landmark. Photos should be submitted to TheItCrowd@retort.tv by 25th June.

Due to broadcasting regulations they need to be stringent about a few things, so here are the rules:

  • Stills photos need to be taken on a 10MP camera or higher
  • Don’t include any logos or brands – cover them up or reframe the picture, this includes the makes/models of your laptop or phone
  • Don’t have anyone in the frame that hasn’t given you personal consent to use their image or that you can’t identify and give the full details to them
  • Don’t include any artwork on walls, book covers etc as we won’t be able to seek permission to use the copyright

For more information and the essential legal blurb head over here. Please note that this page invites video submissions too, but only photo submissions are being accepted.

So good luck – and get snapping!

See The Tudor Unit Live!

19 Jun

Antony Elvin and The Tudor Unit will be appearing on Sunday 23rd June at  Grasstonbury. The 4-day free indoor music festival will take place at The Lamb pub - 54 Holloway Road N7 8JL.

The festival will feature many acts, happenings and DJ’S and starts tomorrow. You can find out more from their website.

Watch the video below to see Antony and Will Summers in action at last years TVO Live event.



A New Film For Alice Lowe

16 Jun

Alice Lowe has been confirmed as one of the key cast member in a new British film, Electricity, which has just started shooting in London and teh North East of England.

© Zimbio

Alice will be appearing alongside Agyness Deyn (playing the lead role of Lily), Lenora Crichlow (Being Human’s Annie Sawyer – another TVO link…twice removed!), Christian Cooke, Paul Anderson and Tom Georgeson.

The film is based on the book by Ray Robinson (available for purchase for those who prefer their movies preceded by the printed word). It tells the story of a s the story of brash Lily O’Connor, who lives on the remote North East coast. When Lily’s long-absent mother dies, her past draws her back in; she must find and help her long-lost brother – although it could kill her. Lily’s epilepsy brings on vivid hallucinations, which we experience through her eyes on her  journey.

When we find out more about Alice’s role, and/or release date information for the film, we’ll be sure to let you know.

Further Foot Live

16 Jun

© Mog

Paul Foot today announced three new live dates – one in London and two in Dublin.

The London show is one of his infamous (not so) Secret shows. This one is a rehearsal gig for his forthcoming DVD and it takes place on 26th June. He’s promised to revise some of his old classics, so this promises to be a good ‘un. To purchase tickets for the gig visit Paul’s Show Diary and click on the line stating ”Wrensday 26th Juniper”. Of course!

The Dublin dates take place across two days at the Vodafone Comedy Festival, which takes place in Dublin’s Iveagh Gardens from Thursday 25th to Sunday 28th July, 2013. Paul is performing on the Saturday at 7.30pm, along with Brian Gittins and MC Barry Murphy (tickets €23) and on the Sunday at 4.30pm with Will Franken and MC Eleanor Tiernan (tickets €20).

To view the full line-up (which is vast), and to find out more about the festival take a look at this. Tickets go on sale tomorrow, Monday 17th June at 9am and you can purchase them for individual performances here.

To keep up to date with Paul’s frequent gig announcements it’s worth following the man himself on twitter; he’s a very conscientious tweeter!

Kill The Wolf Release

16 Jun
© themattberry.co.uk

© themattberry.co.uk

As all Matt Berry fans know, his new album, Kill The Wolf, is released on Acid Jazz Records tomorrow (Monday 17th June).

Matt has been busy talking to different people about the album and you can read an article from The Yorkshire Evening Post here.

There is also a more in-depth interview at The Quietus, which includes all the tracks from the album for you to listen to before the big day.

He also took part in a Twitter interview with Clash Music.

And of course Matt was interviewed by our Editor last month, if you missed it first time round, you can read it now.

Kill The Wolf is available in various formats (CD and Vinyl) from TVO Store.

Rufus Jones comes to Pooh Corner

16 Jun

Photo: Egmont Press

UK fans of A. A. Milne’s classic children’s story Winnie the Pooh will be delighted to hear about a new app for the iPhone or iPad.

“Classic Winnie-The-Pooh” features an engaging graphic interface with a sped up pace to appeal to the younger generation. Rufus Jones voices the story, although users can opt out of the narration to read on their own as well.

The first story is free, with another available for £1.99.

Colin Hoult Talks Characthorse

15 Jun

Colin Hoult has been busy fine-tuning his new show Characthorse for a uniquely spectacular performance at Southbank’s Udderbelly. Velveteer Mog caught up with Colin over a pint to strong-arm him into telling us what the show is all about. 

© Edward Moore

The Velvet Onion has been lucky enough to interview Colin Hoult on several previous occasions (take a look under the Interviews tab above to have a read), but until now, our editor in chief was on hand to get to grips with Colin, and geography and busy-ness have conspired against a face to face conversation of my own. Last week, I finally managed to meet up to have a proper natter with Colin. In the flesh he comes across as the fresh-faced, less sinister younger brother of some of the characters he’s played on stage and screen; as we talk I half-expect a bubble of Len Parker or vampire Crumb to break the surface and take over.

We meet to discuss his new show, Characthorse, which Colin will be performing at Udderbelly on 22nd June. Talking about the show seems to make him slightly nervous,  the conversation peppered with gentle, hesitant pauses. In large part this is driven by the knowledge that it’s still taking shape and will evolve between now and next Saturday’s performance.  He’s also concerned about spoiling the show for the audience.

One also gets the sense that his hesitation comes in part from struggling to define something that feels  so big, new and exciting to him with mere words. “It’s silly, stand-upy and character-y,” he starts, by way of explanation, “It’s packed with stuff – and there’s still other stuff that I haven’t put in yet!” Undaunted, he seems genuinely delighted by the challenge this presents.

“It’s a show I wrote as a seven year old about a town called Snottingham,” Colin explains, “It relates to various things in my life at the time and a particular thing that happened. It’s a sort of love letter to growing up and my family and the people I met as a kid, and Nottingham in general. As a kid I read a lot and would be up in my bedroom writing and drawing, and that’s where the show comes from.”

But don’t assume Characthorse is simply gentle autobiographical whimsy: “It has stand up and character sketches – and more,” Colin notes, “I’m really excited about it, it’s packed in with loads and loads of stuff. It’s got a bit of Wizard of Oz about it too – there are these two worlds going on at the same time!”

It also has Patrick Stewart. “This is the first time I’ve got a real life character!” Colin says excitedly.

Continue reading →

Squat Betty & Perfect Movie

15 Jun

© Richard Sandling

The next Squat Betty Spoken Word Night is a special Edinburgh preview night which stars Nick Helm and James Acaster. They will be performing a full version of their Edinburgh shows for your delight, on Monday (17th June) at 7.30pm. For more information and tickets see the Facebook Event page.

Richard Sandling is taking his Perfect Movie Show to the Southend Comedy Festival at Southend Pier on Saturday July 20th. Joining Richard will be Eggsy (GLC), Nathaniel Metcalfe, Paul Gannon, Ash Frith and more to be announced.

Doors open at 4pm for the show at 4.30. Tickets are only £6 (including a return journey on the pier railway) and can be bought here.

You can read more about Richard and the Perfect Movie Show in this interview by Such Small Portions.

TVO Live Videos Part 3: Gareth Tunley & Alex Kirk

14 Jun

Last month marked the first anniversary of The Velvet Onion Live – our inaugural live event, which will hopefully be followed by many more in the future.

That star studded event featured the likes of Dave Brown, James Cook, Antony Elvin, Stephen Evans, Suzy Evelyn Hall, Mike Fielding, Richard Glover, Alex Kirk, Alice Lowe, David McNeill, Tom Meeten, Steve Oram, Laura Patch, Richard Sandling, Holly Jane Shears, Rachel Stubbings, Will Summers, Dan Tetsell, Gareth Tunley, Dolly Wells and the disembodied voice of Rich Fulcher.

Over the coming weeks, as we inch slowly towards putting on more events in the future, we’re showcasing footage from that glorious night of madcap fun.

This week’s slice of lo-fi posterity features Gareth Tunley and Alex Kirk as painter/decorators turned film directors Ridley & Tony Scott.  Their tales of accidental Hollywood success had us all in stitches, and you can see why below.

This installment is dedicated to the memory of the real Tony Scott.

Come back each Friday for a brand new installment, and stay peeled for further developments of TVO Live: The Sequel, coming soon…

Campaign Bingo

14 Jun

An interview with illustrator Mr Bingo featured in the latest issue of Campaign magazine, the advertising industry’s weekly bible.

© Mr Bingo

In the interview he discusses a campaign that he’s worked on for the creative agency AnalogFolk, which depicts beardy men being manly.

Of the illustrative approach he says: “I’m not at all manly. I’m 34 years old but my upper body is similar to a 13-year-old boy and I can’t grow stubble evenly. When I was 17, I got beaten by a girl in an arm wrestle. It’s a f*cking miracle I’ve got a girlfriend, to be honest.” Luckily Mr Bingo knows enough manly men who could pose for reference shots.

He also talks about his phenomenally successful Hate Mail project, noting, “ If you Google “hate mail”, I think I now rank number one for the phrase. It’s a nice position to be in.” Don’t forget you can currently see his Hate Mail exhibition at KKOutlet in London.

To read the Campaign interview in full click here.

Little Monster

14 Jun

© BBC

Rufus Jones appeared in new radio pilot Little Monster this week.

The one-off comedy from writer Gerald Foster features Sarah Hadland as new mum Karen, who has seemingly birthed the monster from hell.  Benjy, played by Cariad Lloyd, is all smiles and good behaviour when his dad, Nick (Rufus Jones) or Grandma (Geraldine James) are around.

But when she’s alone with Benjy, he’s excitable, strong and surprisingly advanced, galumphing around the house and bringing in the remains of next door’s chickens.

And whilst Karen has to come to terms with the love she feels for her child, she must also face up to monsters of her own: guilt, envy and low-self esteem.

A darkly comic look at modern parenthood, this pilot is typically a hoot and we hope there’s loads more to come.  You can hear it yourself via BBC iPlayer (worldwide) over yonder.

One Vision… With Alan Partridge

13 Jun

The first full trailer for Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa has arrived online, and it’s a belter.

The film features Steve Coogan as the eponymous broadcaster, held hostage in a siege at Radio Norwich by a disgruntled former employee (former Star Trek star Colm Meaney).  Along for the ride are Justin Edwards, Darren Boyd, Sean Pertwee, Anna Maxwell Martin and Four Lions star Nigel Lindsay, alongside Mid Morning Matters co-star Tim Key and I’m Alan Partridge co-stars Felicity Montague, Phil Cornwell and Simon Greenall.  You can see the results below.

With the promise of a golden dad-rock soundtrack, and Alan becoming Seige-Face, this looks set to be a classic already.  Alan Patridge: Alpha Papa is released in cinemas August 7th.

Update! Here are a selection of stills taken from the trailer, including our very own Justin Edwards in a couple!

See & Wear Psycho Delia

13 Jun

© Dee Plume / Mercedes Grower

New opportunities have opened up today for fans to show their support for Psycho Delia.

If you’re up for experiencing the band perform live you can see them on the Women’s Stage at the London’s Pride Festival on Saturday 29th June. All performances will take place between 2 and 8pm, and it happens at Candy Bar Soho, 4 Carlisle Street, London W1D 3BJ. For more information about the full line-up visit the event’s facebook page.

If, however, you prefer to wear your admiration for Dee Plume‘s music on your body, why not check out Psycho Delia’s new merch range? There are some seriously cool printed tees, socks and tights, plus a framed print for just £10. To see the full range and start shopping click here.

Stand For Paul Foot

13 Jun

© Paul Foot

Tickets are now available to see Paul Foot as one of Stewart Lee’s guests for the new series of The Alternative Comedy Experience.  The show will be recorded in Edinburgh on 11th July, and will be broadcast on Comedy Central later in the year.

On the night Paul will be joined by Susan Calman and Lou Sanders. If you watched the first series, it involves stand-up comedians doing what they do best in a small intimate setting, interspersed with Stewart Lee interviewing them about their life and work. The performance of each comedian is usually spread over a few episodes, so you may see yourself on the TV more than once!

Tickets are a very reasonable £8 and can be bought via this link.

Get The Real Ralfe Band Album

12 Jun

© Paul Holmes

Although the digital download version of the new Ralfe Band album was available earlier this month, the physical version has just been released this week.

Lovers of music that you can touch, see and wave around your bedroom can now buy Son be Wise on CD (with lyric book) and gatefold vinyl (with lyric book & free MP3).

To buy one of these tangible beauties, take a look at our Amazon store.

And if you like what you hear, don’t forget that you can see the band perform at a handful of festivals and shows during the next few weeks. Please see below for details:

Thu 13 Jun – UK, SOUTHSEA, PORTSMOUTH, Pie & Vinyl in-store show. Performance starts 7pm
Fri 14 Jun – UK, MARLBOROUGH, Sound Knowledge in-store show. Performance starts 6.30pm
Sat 15 Jun – UK, OXFORD, Irregular Folk Summer Sessions @ The Perch, Binsey
Wed 3 Jul – UK, TOTNES, South Devon Arts Centre w/ ETHAN JOHNS
Sat 6 Jul – UK, CALSTOCK (Cornwall),  Calstock Arts Centre w/ ETHAN JOHNS
Sat 10 Aug  – UK, OXFORDSHIRE, Wilderness Festival
Fri 30 Aug – UK, DORSET, End Of The Road Festival (main stage)

Noel Fielding Interview Part 4: Luxury Comedy

11 Jun

Last week we brought you Part 3 of our exclusive interview with Noel Fielding, in which he answered some more of the slightly random-edged questions that you sent in. This week Noel talks about Luxury Comedy.

Noel’s twitter followers will be aware that rehearsals have begun for series 2 of Luxury Comedy; as you’ll see from the video below, the show has evolved from the first series -  and Noel’s pretty excited about how it’s taking shape. We’ve tried to avoid including too many spoilers (suffice to say, the storylines for Series 2 sound soooo good!), but you’ll certainly get a flavour for what’s to come – including an exclusive peek at ‘Painted Hawaii’ and a heads-up on what’s next for Loose Tapestries!

The final part of our interview, in which Noel talks about The Mighty Boosh (timely, eh?), should be out next week. We hope you’ve enjoyed the series so far; here’s Part 4 below:

Thanks to everyone who submitted questions and many thanks to Noel for his time.

Boosh Added To Festival Line-Up

10 Jun

© Mog

The news is already spreading around the web like wildfire, but in case you haven’t heard it yet, The Mighty Boosh have seemingly been added to the line-up page of the Festival Supreme website.

The boys are said to be reuniting for a performance at the festival hosted by Tenacious D at Santa Monica Pier on 19th October. After weeks of “will they, won’t they?” guesswork, people are understandably getting pretty excited about the announcement. The Boosh last performed together at the Zappa plays Zappa concert at the Camden Roundhouse in 2010.

Note, of course, the line-up is subject to change and we have been unable to confirm that this is definitely happening from the boys directly. It is looking likely, but the focus for at least some of the Boosh right now is Luxury Comedy. Nevertheless we’re crossing our fingers on behalf of US fans that it’s going to happen, (and UK fans if warm-up events become a possibility…and every one of us if it leads to more Boosh!). We can but hope!

For those tempted looking for further information about the festival, including full line-up details and tickets take a look here. Tickets are $99 (standard) or $250 (VIP) and go on sale this Friday 14th June at 10am PST through Ticketmaster. Pre-sale tickets are also available from 10am on Wednesday, June 12th by using password SUPREME.

Please note that the event is 21+.

A Field In England Live Q&As (In Real Life)

9 Jun

A wee while ago we reported that Ben Wheatley’s new film A Field In England would be premiering across multiple channels on 5th July, including a live satellite Q&A in independent and arthouse cinemas across the UK. So far so exciting. But how much more exciting would it be if you could be at the Q&A in person?

© Rook Films Limited

Thanks to eagle-eyed Peeler Rosanna Nichols, we can reveal that the Ritzy in Brixton will be the location of the real-life-in-the-flesh Q&A with the director and cast from the film which follows the premiere screenings.  At the time of writing there are only 7 tickets left (so be quick if you want one!); doors open at 6.30pm, introductions take place at 6.45pm and the film starts at 6.50pm, with the Q&A afterwards. Click here to book.

If you miss out on that one fret not, because there’s another Q&A lined up for 23rd July, with Wheatley and cast memeber (and comedy deity), Reece Sheersmith (TBC). This one takes place at the Phoenix Cinema in East Finchley, London. Cinema members can book tickets now, but for everyone else bookings open at 11.30am on Thursday 13th June.

The Q&A on 23rd July starts at 6.30pm, and tickets cost £11.50/£10.50 conc. Click here for more information and booking details.

Editor’s Note: Many thanks to Rosanna Nichols for the info about the Ritzy Q&A

Brand On The BBC

9 Jun

Katy Brand was interviewed on BBC’s This Week…erm, this week.

© BBC

In the week when Michael Douglas has been criticised for  over-sharing, while Angelia Jolie has been praised for doing the same, Katy discusses celebrity indiscretions with the show’s panel of guests. You can watch the clip by clicking on this link here.

Don’t forget that you can see Katy, plus fellow TVO artists Julia Davis and Sharon Horgan, in the critically-accalimed Psychobitches on Sky Arts on Thursdays. For more information about the show, which sees famous historical figures on the therapist’s couch, take a look at this earlier post.

Latest On Paddington Bear

9 Jun

© BBC

Since way back when we’ve been bringing you occasional updates about Paul King‘s feature-legth adaptation of Paddingon Bear.

The director of The Mighty Boosh and Bunny & The Bull has been associated with the project for some time, and now news is emerging that the two lead roles have been filled. Hugh Laurie is rumoured to be in line for the voice of (animated) Paddington, while Downton Abbey star, Hugh Bonneville, is in negotiations to play the live-action role of Henry Brown, the father figure in Paddington’s adopted family.

Brilliant though Laurie is, for those of us  brought up on a diet of Paddington Bear cartoons in the 1970′s, we’ll miss the familiar voice of Charlie Adler as the titular bear!

Filming is due to begin this Autumn, so it sounds like production of the film is finally off the ground. It remains to be seen whether King will be bringing any of his Boosh or Bunny & the Bull buddies into the project, but we’ll be keeping our eyes and ears open on your behalf for any further reports.

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