Interview: Angela Barnes
The highly acclaimed and rather brilliant comic Angela Barnes takes a break from radio and television success for the annual Big Cheer For Amaze. Victoria Nangle finds out more
Hello Angela! How lovely to see you playing at Big Cheer For Amaze. Do you feel a connection with the Amaze charity?
Hi there! I really do feel a connection with Amaze. I think this might be the 4th Big Cheer I’ve done. The work they do is incredibly important, giving support and advice to families and carers of disabled children. It can be so easy for people to feel isolated, so Amaze provides networks and advice which are invaluable. And the comedy nights are so much fun, always. I can’t wait!
You have a well known connection with Brighton, having lived here in the past. What do you miss most about the place?
Oh where to begin?! Even when I’m not living there, Brighton feels like home. I miss the whole Brightonian lifestyle, there is a place for everyone in Brighton, you can’t not fit in. All of life is there. It’s the best place for people watching, it’s like street theatre. I miss the West Pier, the starling murmurations, Morocco’s ice cream, the feeling of satisfaction when you get to the top of Southover Street having stopped in every pub on the way, oh the pubs, so many pubs, the Pavilion Gardens, Red Roaster coffee, Snooper’s Paradise, Tuaca. Wait, no, not Tuaca, No way. Oh God, am having Tuaca flashbacks…
And do you have a favourite story about living here?
Oh so many… Anyone that has lived in Brighton has a seagull story, tales of having our lunch taken by the evil small dog sized monsters. But one day, I was queuing at a cashpoint in Hove. There was a man standing in front of me, suddenly he got dive-bombed, and the seagull took his wallet. His WALLET. It flew up the street a bit, realised it wasn’t food and dropped it. Either it was a really stupid seagull, or had been trained by Fagin.
I really enjoyed your recent BBC Radio 4 series, You Can’t Take It With You. Any irons in fires to do another series of it or any other work with BBC Radio 4?
Am at the “wait and see” stage at the moment. I would love to do another series of `You Can’t Take It With You’, and I have lots of other ideas of things I would like to do for radio, so fingers crossed. I will be doing ‘News Quiz’ in a couple of weeks, which is something that I LOVE.
You’ve made no secret of your appreciation of BBC Radio 4 over the years. Now that you’re on it regularly, seeing the magic behind the scenes at The Now Show and the like – what details most surprised you when you got to see it all?
It feels very strange that I’m allowed to do things in Radio Comedy. I was such a fan for so long, that when I do something for Radio 4, I still feel like the work experience girl, being allowed to have a go. The surprises I’ve had are pleasant ones. It’s amazing to see how much graft and joy goes into making a programme for Radio 4. People are there for their love of comedy and everybody wants to put out the best show that they can. I’m amazed by the sheer volume of talent of writers and performers and producers and am beyond chuffed to do my little bit every now and then.
Many moons ago you used to run gigs in Brighton. Who would be on your dream stand-up bill with you – alive or dead – and what would the running order be?
Oh gawd. I know that for days after answering this, I am going to think of people I should have added to the list! OK.
MC: Mark Olver. I never worry about a gig when Mark is hosting. I’ve seen him wrangle any crowd into a receptive audience, from the most apathetic to the most rowdy. There is nobody else I want to helm my gig!
Amy Poehler and Tina Fey (I want them to open my night like they open the Golden Globes. Oh God I love them so hard)
Linda Smith (My love for her work is no secret, again, so sadly missed)
Interval
John Kearns (Something so different, and the pathos his character brings is beautiful, and so, so funny)
Nick Helm (Has been one of my favourite acts to watch for years, since the Funny Farm [Angela’s Hove-based own comedy night from the Noughties] days)
Interval
Sara Pascoe (One of the most exciting comedians around at the moment)
Victoria Wood (she was the first comedian I ever saw live when I was 14, and I was hooked. Terribly missed and what a way to close the show)
Who is the best under-the-radar comic on the circuit now, according to Barnesy?
Oh my. Without a doubt it is Michael Fabbri. I cannot fathom why he’s not super famous, makes me belly laugh on and off stage. I love how his mind works, he has such a different angle on the world. He’s also based in Brighton, people should definitely check him out.
If you could be in a BBC dramatisation of your favourite book, what would it be, who would you play and why?
I love Sue Townsend. Adrian Mole was my constant companion growing up. I never tire of those stories, and because they are set in the ‘80s, there is such nostalgia for my childhood there. I would love to play Pauline Mole, Adrian’s Mum. She was such a great character, a feminist, and bloody funny. But it would mean following in the footsteps of the great Julie Walters, that’s a bit too much pressure.
You’ve won a million squidoodles (aka pounds) – what do you do with it?
First thing, I would buy a house in Brighton, in a heartbeat. And a Fiat 500 (I bloody love them, but had to buy a sensible car because my job means I drive 10,000 miles in 3 months). I guess these days, that wouldn’t leave much change out of a million, scary! I feel I should say that I would give a chunk to charity. I mean, I would, but saying that in an interview makes it sound like I’m just saying it. But I would, honest!
What do you think are the ingredients to constructing the perfect gag?
If I knew the answer to that, I would be the most famous comedian on the planet. My rules are: 1) make sure you can stand by your gag, if you are going to say something contentious, you’d better be sure about where you stand 2) People want to see what your opinion is, they want to get to know a bit about you from your jokes, so make sure they can.
I know you love to swim, but will you be swimming in the sea when you come down to play Big Cheer For Amaze?
In October?! Brrrr. I know there are people that do it all year round, maybe I will bite the bullet and get in there. Maybe I will if someone makes a big enough pledge for Amaze!
Big Cheer For Amaze, Thursday 6 October, Komedia, 8pm, £17.50, www.komedia.co.uk/brighton, amazebrighton.org.uk
