You Are Nothing, a new book by Robert Wringham, tells the story of the early performances of a host of TVO-related comedians at Cluub Zarathustra
Cluub Zarathustra was an unorthodox comedy club based beneath an Islington pub between 1994 and 1997. Audiences got to see Kevin Eldon, Waen Shepherd, Graham Linehan and Julian Barratt, amongst many others. According to the book they were also insulted, dribbled on, and forced to wear dunce’s caps. We like!
The book is based on new interviews with the principal cast, supporting artists, and audience members, and includes “drunken half-memories from two decades ago.”
For more information and to purchase a copy for £12 click here.
Editor’s Note: Thanks to @elincat for this information.
A rare clip of Julian Barratt and Tim Hope’s experimental comedy act The Pod has emerged online via TVO’s very own Waen Shepherd.
Shepherd cameos in the piece – which aired on BBC2′s The Net back in 1997 – as a Shoreditch tramp, complete with Yorkshire accent and bottle of Olde English cider. At the time, Shepherd & Hope were developing cult classic animated short The Wolfman from its origins as live performance art for The Node – itself an off-shoot of The Pod.
Having kept a copy of The Net feature all these years, and discovering it wasn’t on the internet (oh, the irony), Waen has uploaded to his own YouTube page for comedy connoisseurs to enjoy once again.
A fascinating glimpse into the past, both in comedic terms and to gawp at all that ‘cutting edge’ technology, this feels like it’s from another world. Enjoy.
Don’t forget you can catch Waen Shepherd at TVO Live next week! Tickets and more info over yonder.
The Random Adventures of Brandon Generator creator Edgar Wright has chatted to MSN about his new innovative web series.
Edgar lets us in on his process for piecing together Brandon’s convoluted story:
“We’ve actually asked people what Brandon’s written and drawn on his pad. You can see it all online….A lot of people did what I hoped they would which is to write in Brandon’s voice…or in voice that Julian Barratt has narrated in. Some of them are completely random and that’s perfectly appropriate too.”
Edgar also talks about his experience working with illustrator Tommy Lee Edwards and of the direction he sees Brandon Generator heading.
Read more about Edgar’s behind-the-scenes perspective on Brandon here. And if you’ve yet to experience the ‘head trip’ that is Brandon’s random adventures, see (and create) them for yourselves!
For those who have already experienced the first installment, you’ll be pleased to see the second episode featuring fan contributions, is online now.
As we reported previously, Steve Coogan has moved over to Sky Atlantic to make the latest series of Mid Morning Matters.
Along with this, the channel has ordered up some extra Coogan in the form of some one-off specials! Alan Partridge: Welcome To The Places Of My Life, and Alan Partridge: On Open Books With Martin Bryce will air later this year, followed by a re-edited series of Mid Morning Matters and with the full second series coming in 2013.
As if all of this couldn’t be more exciting, we are also going to be treated to Uncle Wormsley’s Christmas. Narrated by Coogan and will feature the voices of none-other than Julia Davis and Julian Barratt for this animation about an old man and a crab he cares for, which ends up the victim in a plot by the Crab Catchers. This will presumably be aired around Christmastime and we’re eager to find out more about this dark, surreal tale.
Whilst we all get our breath back from the amount we have to look forward to, you can read what Coogan had to say himself about his Sky takeover right here!
The beauty of Booshdom is that it reaches far and wide, though sometimes that reach is so wide that its easy to miss names staring you in the face.
Neil Cole is a new name to The Velvet Onion, but his name has been circling around Booshdom for many years and we thought it was about time you met him, ahead of his latest collaboration.
Neil will be appearing with Rich Fulcher in Rich Fulcher and His Fucked Up Friends, at The Vandella on Thursday 10th May, but this is not his first time on stage with members of The Mighty Boosh. They worked together in 1998 in Edinburgh when Noel, Julian and Rich were guests on Psycho Vertigo Disco.
Remaining a close friend of the Boosh boys, all these years later, his 2011 Edinburgh show Neil By Mouth was co-directed by none other than Dave Brown, who shot the promotional images for the tour like the one seen here.
Other comedy work includes being a founder member of The Pros From Dover, who he still occasionally performs with. As well as Richard Glover, he has previously collaborated with the likes of Tom Meeten, Steve Oram, James Bachman, Barunka O’Shaughnessy, Waen Shepherd and The Actor Kevin Eldon, has opened for Russell Brand on tour, and his former comedy partner Tom Hillenbrand appeared in AD/BC. Truly, a layer of onion worth peeling!
As well as stand up, Neil has wide experience of radio and tv work and has presented many extreme sports programmes, he has even met The Hairy Bikers! In 2009 he interviewed Noel, Dave and Mike at the NME Awards for NME Radio.
There is an interview with Neil at thehumourdor.co.uk where you can find out more about him and his work, and you can also catch up with him on Facebook, Twitter and on his YouTube channel. We’ll be speaking to Neil ourselves as soon as we can, so stay peeled – and if you’re off to see him perform with Fulcher this Thursday, tell him t’Onion sent you…
Today US peelers can enjoy an entire evening of Julian Barratt in the remake of Treasure Island.
Syfy will be showing the mini series, starring Eddie Izzard as Long John Silver, at 7-11PM (ET/PT) this evening. You may recall that the series premiered in the UK in January on Sky; Julian plays the part of Thomas Redruth, the gamekeeper of Squire Trelawney.
There’s still time to grab a parrot, shiver yer timbers – and ready yourself for an evening of swashbuckling adventure!
The Random Adventures of Brandon Generator is now up and running.
As we mentioned a few weeks ago, Julian Barratt is providing the narration for this project which will be written by input from ‘YOU’.
In addition to Julian’s vocal talents, Brandon Generator is written by Edgar Wright and drawn by renowned Marvel artist Tommy Lee Edwards.
The first episode is now online for your viewing and listening pleasure and you are invited to write, text or Skype your additions to the story and there is even a place to draw characters if you wish.
If you’re a budding writer or illustrator, or just want to see what it’s all about, check out the project’s website, twitter or Facebook page.
Julian Barratt has been busy lately! He was interviewed by the Adult Swim blog, and tells all about his obsession with a Swedish film director, and how this influenced him when directing the new video for Tanlines.
Julian Barratt will be providing the narration for an innovative new entertainment experience, The Random Adventures of Brandon Generator.
Brandon is a would-be writer whose world unravels as he looks for inspiration. The Random Adventures of Brandon Generator isan immersive web-based film/game/comic experience that the viewer can shape as it unfolds.
Although the project is actually a thinly-veiled marketing exercise for Intermet Explorer, the people involved suggest it’s still worth keeping an eye on it. In addition to Julian’s vocal talents, Brandon Generator is written by Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead) and drawn by renowned Marvel artist Tommy Lee Edwards.
Pushing to one side the eyebrow-raising title of the interview, much of the article focuses on Julian’s involvement in producing the video for Tanlines’ new single. He explains his vision for the film: “I just wanted a lot of odd people basically. I didn’t want to be in a time or place. So they’re dressed slightly 1950s, but it looks like the 70s. And then I don’t want it to look as if it’s in any particular place, even though they’re singing in English. I want it to look like it might be being filmed in East Germany in 1981. Maybe.”
He also talks the new projects he has in the pipeline, including writing a film with Simon Farnaby (not “Barnaby” as NME seems to think he’s called!) and a TV project that he describes as “a sort of science fiction thing.” He also adds, “I suppose Noel and I will do something again at some point. We’ll just choose a time when we’re both ready.”
Julian also goes on to praise Luxury Comedyfor its uniqueness and uncompromising quality, but admits it’s a little weird to see the other half of his double act go off and do something else. He describes their relationship as, “Like brothers. We have our differences but we’ve been through so much.”
To read the interview in full pick up a copy of this week’s NME. Or the hi-tech amongst you can buy it online by clicking here.
Julian Barratt published his first tweet today, to publicise the new Tanlines video for All Of Me, which he directed. The video also stars TVO regular Stephen Evans.
The video, which you can see below, is the second from their album Mixed Emotions which is available to buy now. Details about where you can get it are under the video on YouTube.
There is also a making of video featuring Julian, which you can see below:
Julian Barratt’s recent forays into voice-over work have left many fans wondering when they’ll get the opportunity to see him again. Well now’s your chance!
Julian will be appearing in a new six-part BBC drama, White Heat, which starts this Thursday on BBC2.
The series covers the interwoven lives and loves of seven characters from 60′s London through to the present day. Their stories and friendships unfold against a backdrop that takes us from Wilson to Thatcher, feminism to the Falklands, hedonism to HIV. White Heat was created by award-winning writer, Paula Milne.
The first episode airs on Thursday at 9pm on BBC2 (so you can switch over to Luxury Comedy on E4 afterwards!), and will be available on iPlayer for seven days thereafter. We’ll add the iPlayer link to this post when it’s up.
Julian plays the part of Derek Bowden in the series; he doesn’t appear to be one of the main characters, so we can’t say for sure that he’ll be appearing in every episode. We’ll be looking out for him though – along with the rest of you!
Edit: Julian did appear in episiode 1, which you can now watch on iPlayer. Look out for the sleazy art teacher in a leather waistcoat…
Two key members of the Booshniverse have just re-united for a new TV outing. Before you jump to the wrong conclusion, we’re talking about Boosh director Paul King and Julian Barratt – in an advert for milk.
King has directed the 30-second spot for Lactofree lactose-free milk, which features hedgehogs in a supermarket (apparently all hedgehogs are lactose-intolerant so they represent perfect brand spokespeople). The voice-over on the ad comes courtesy of Mr Barratt.
What’s more, you can watch it here. As Julian says, “Say yes to hot buttery crumpets!”
Sky’s recent adaptation of Treasure Island is now available for pre-order on blu-ray and dvd.
The two part mini-series which aired over the new year period featured an all-star cast including Elijah Wood, Eddie Izzard and Donald Sutherland – and TVO’s very own Julian Barratt was on board as gamekeeper Thomas Redruth.
There are currently no details on any extra features for the release, which is pencilled in for June 11th, but both standard and hi-def versions are up for pre-order now in our TVO Amazon Store for just £17.99 (blu-ray) and £11.99 (dvd).
The perky-eared amongst you may have noticed Julian Barratt‘s silky northern tones narrating BBC2′s new documentary The Tube this evening.
The six-part series takes viewers behind the scenes of the world’s oldest, biggest and busiest underground train network. In the first episode a major track replacement operation threatens to disrupt the weekday service, while a busy Saturday night sees a woman pushed on to the live tracks at Leicester Square. Stirring stuff! And you can view it for the next seven days on BBC iPlayer.
The next episode will be broadcast on BBC2 at 9pm on Monday 27th February.
There has been quite a few questions floating around of where our favourite northern Jazz-lover Julian Barratt has vanished to, and now some news has floated past our peelers regarding the enigmatic man himself.
Julian is undertaking a role becoming more common in the Booshdom, and directing an upcoming music video for a yet undisclosed new band.
At the moment the video is calling for male extras/dancers aged 50+ for the video and is due to begin filming at the end of February.
Already from this brief insight it is going to be something interesting nonetheless. After his debut directorial project Curtains, that you may remember from early last year, we can expect great things from Barratt as he is let loose behind the camera again.
This also follows in the steps of Richard Ayoade, who after taking a break from the lovable character of Moss in IT Crowd; undertook directing Arctic Monkeys’ music videos, then releasing his debut feature Submarine and earning him a BAFTA nomination this year.
If this relation is anything to go by we wish big things for Julian and we look forward to the end result!
We’d love to hear your opinions on this exciting piece of news – so what band do you think it could be and can you come up with ideas for what these 50 year olds will be asked to do!?
TVO has been inundated with fans telling us that The Boosh Film is on the way once again, after an interview with Noel Fielding outside the Evening Standard Film Awards appeared online.
In the video posted by The Press Association, which has since been picked up by a variety of news websites, Noel commented: “I saw Julian yesterday [Monday], we went sledging together. So we were talking about a Boosh where we should get together and do a film, finally! There’ll definitely be sledging in the Boosh film, there’ll have to be won’t there?”
Naturally, we at The Velvet Onion must stress that talking about a Boosh film, and it actually happening are two very different things. The film has been in discussion stages for a long time, first drafts have been half-written, and what we do know at present is that The Mighty Boosh are on hiatus whilst Noel & Julian concentrate on their own solo projects.
Whilst any news of the duo getting back together is positive, it’s good to remember that they have not broken up, nor have they fallen out – and of course, when they are together they will discuss the very thing that binds them.
The Boosh willreturn, but we just wanted to remind you that we may all be waiting a little while longer yet…
While E4 is showing Luxury Comedy, Channel 4 is showing Party Paramedics narrated by Julian Barratt. This is a three-part series following the medical units, home and abroad, that patch up the victims of Britain’s binge-drinking culture.
The first part, which is about the hard-working paramedics and volunteers of the SOS bus in Colchester, was shown on Monday at 10pm and is available on 4OD.
Next Monday’s episode is set on Corfu and is called Corfu Carnage!
Noel Fielding’s Luxury Comedy is a show like no other you’ll see on television in 2012. It’s a show that has spent years gestating in the heads of its dual creators, Noel Fielding and Nigel Coan. It’s a show that combines live-action with animation in a crayola-drenched world filled with cartoon characatures that seem to have leapt straight out of the imagination of Fielding – as his longterm friend and colleague Dave Brown so eloquently put when talking to TVO last year – the show is a bit like downloading Noel’s brain.
More than a year in the actual, physical making, Luxury Comedy brings together a number of talents from that wider world of Booshdom we’ve been shouting about since our inception, and who we’ve all collectively been enjoying on stage and screen for the past fifteen years. Whilst its fair to say the show can never topple The Mighty Boosh in the hearts of many, the trick to watching Luxury Comedy is to block out all thoughts of that looming shadow of a cult classic and just enjoy the madness on its own terms.
Take for example, the character of Dondelion, images of which have been released to the press. On the surface, a cynical viewer may suggest he is a cast-off from the Boosh – a lost side-project from the days of the Zooniverse. They would be wrong. Dondelion, like every other character Noel and Nigel have created – and there are many – is a brand new beast, the only similarities being that he has come from the same brilliant mind that co-created all those Boosh characters of yesteryear.
We’ve been living with the pilot since the summer of last year now, when Noel and his team at Secret Peter kindly invited The Velvet Onion to visit the set and document our findings. It’s multi-coloured, surrealistic world admittedly took us all by surprise on first viewing, but whilst not everyone was immediately in hysterics, repeat viewings found the laughs increased and, amazingly, a whole new realm of quotes and catchphrases subconsciously crept into our everyday lexicon. We’ve been yelling “Fish Finger For Later” at one another since then, and random injections of “Paulsaid”, “LEEEGGGGOOOOHHHHH!” and rambling speeches about bikes, Gary Glitter and single baked beans have interjected our daily thoughts to the point where we started to wonder if we had developed a new form of madness. The show may be like downloading Noel’s brain, but more specifically it seems, for diehard fans that download will embed itself into the infrastructure of your mind’s root folders like a particularly shiny virus.
As part of our continuing look back at projects in Booshdom which may have escaped the attention of some of our readers, or simply passed into faded memories, we have travelled back in time to review Asylum, starring Julian Barratt.
Asylum was a six part series made for the Paramount Comedy Channel in 1996. Directed by Edgar Wright written by the Cast, and script edited by Wright, David Walliams, Jane Bussman and David Quantick. The regular cast was made up of Norman Lovett, Simon Pegg, Jessica Stevenson (Hynes), Julian Barratt, Adam Bloom, Paul Morocco, Mick O’Connor, and the House Band – David Devant and his Spirit Wife. Throughout the series there were guest appearances by Paul Tonkinson, John Moloney, Bill Bailey, Howard Haigh, Parsons and Naylor and David Walliams.
With so many well-known and talented people involved you would expect an amazing show, and you won’t be disappointed. It is a dark, surreal comedy set in a large isolated country house – The Asylum run by Doctor Lovett (Norman Lovett) and Nurse McFadden (Jessica Stephenson), with Nobby (Mick O’Connor) the security guard.
In the first episode Nobby orders a pizza and we are introduced to the residents through the eyes of the pizza delivery man (Simon Pegg). By the end of the episode he has joined the gang.
Each episode features a guest ‘inmate’ and a song, but apart from that anything can happen, the second episode features a Nativity Play, while the third is reminiscent of The Prisoner. There are some references that date the series but on the whole it could be from any time as the setting and clothing are not contemporary.
Throughout the series there is ambiguity in the situation as you are unsure of the sanity of those ‘in charge’, and don’t know if it is an experiment, reality or something else. By the end of the series, it’s still a mystery! The best way to find out if you like the show is to watch it.
Unfortunately the series was only shown once and is not available on DVD. Luckily it has been uploaded onto YouTube, the quality is not good, but you can get the idea. The first part of episode one is below, then just follow the links on YouTube to watch the rest.
Although it is not perfect, Asylum is your chance to view the first series that Simon Pegg, Jessica Stevenson and Edgar Wright worked on together. There are glimpses of Tim and Daisy and it’s fascinating to see the similarities between the characters of Victor/Julian in Asylum and Brian in Spaced.
@ellecaps We're spread out across London, Manchester, Gateshead, Sweden & America... so the tea may go cold before it gets around. ;-) peeled 12 hours ago
@ellecaps Work suggests we get paid to do things we find a chore. Neither of which are true. ;-) peeled 12 hours ago
Normal service shall be resumed this weekend. Stay peeled for all your latest news updates! xx peeled 1 day ago
@Alexbkirk Hello, sir! Good to meet you last night - you were fantastic! peeled 1 day ago
@LiisaD No need to move - just come on down next time! We had people come from all over the place - including abroad... :-) peeled 1 day ago
