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drinks Monday 3 November 08
Reading Goes Bananas
Reading went Bananas (apparently) in October 2005. In 2006, it promises to again. Gill Smith reports Reading Comedy Festival
by Gill Smith
Reading Goes Bananas was the catchy title of the town’s new comedy festival in 2005, though it seemed more like a flimsy excuse for the local paper’s reporter to go up to women on the street and ask them to pose with his blow-up. Banana, of course.
Just 25 minutes on a First Great Western out of Paddington, Reading was once a thriving industrial town, with wealth from biscuits, bricks, bulbs and beer. It’s now serious commuter belt – and for many the first stop west of London on the IT industry’s M4 Corridor.
So what did Reading’s now annual comedy festival have to offer in 2005? A number of the usual ‘big names’ – Jo Brand, Jimmy Carr, Patrick Kielty, Harry Hill, Ross Noble, Barry Cryer and Ronnie Golden, a Bill Hicks tribute act, the Rocky Horror sing-along, Ardal O’Hanlon, and Radio 4’s latest ‘up and coming’ act, Chris Addison.
So - a number of off-the-telly comedians, mostly performing August 05’s Edinburgh shows, more or less adapted. They were joined by a number of less well-known acts, such as musical double act Simon Mayor and Hilary James, Kevin ‘Bloody’ Wilson, and Pam Ann.
There was also a little more for the discerning comedy audience. Local gigs such as Jongleurs and Big Jack’s laughter club brought their usual range of comics on one bill. A charity gig raised funds for Reading Single Homeless Project, with the help of around ten local performers.
Street performers hit the centre of Reading, with free circus workshops on offer at the Town Hall.
There was comedy for kids, a comedy film competition, a comedy quiz, a comic art master-class, and an open-mike competition, won by non-local Carl Donnelly - and for anyone who got the comedy bug, a stand-up workshop.
How was it all? Reports back from fans were positive. From free gigs, such as the open mike, to the £17.50 that bigger names cost, there was something to suit every budget.
But it’s doubtful that the town’s hotel prices shot through the roof for the fortnight in the same way as Edinburgh’s. And despite some expensive ticket prices and the odd free show, this isn’t the Edinburgh Fringe - even the most dedicated of local comedy fans wasn’t at something every night.
But that’s what this festival offered – something each night and the odd additional bit during the daytime at weekends. It seems a pity, given the range of venues Reading has to offer. Sure, it was great to have the big names in – but they often grace the town with their presence, spread throughout the year.
It seems the festival organisers didn’t have the faith in their audience to risk splitting them by putting smaller names simultaneously into South Street, the Town Hall or pub venues, while the Hexagon held a TV name. They may have been right. Most events were well attended, but is it too much of a risk, for a small town with a relatively new comedy festival?
Maybe as the annual event grows, Reading residents and locals from all over Berkshire can hope to make tricky choices over what to see each night.
As the festival warms up for 2006, with Jo Caulfield, Tim Vine, Jimmy Carr, Grumpy Old Women, Boothby Graffoe, Russell Brand, Ross Noble and Howard Read already booked – presumably with sneak previews available at that small Scottish comedy festival – it looks like there will be some tough decisions on who to watch.
Even if that’s only one per night, it’s local for Reading residents. It isn’t entirely fair to compare the event with the Edinburgh Fringe – these things take time to build, and from Berks, they take some travelling to get to.
So if someone’s going to bring you Edinburgh’s highlights, why not sit back and enjoy? Your ticket for these acts at the Assembly Rooms wouldn’t be very different – possibly, nor would the show. Let the acts do the travelling.
END
(c) Gill Smith 1 August 2006
Reading Comedy Festival takes place each year in October - see www.readingcomedyfestival.com
article subeditor – Mary Paterson
Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2008
