Interview: Mark Thomas

Mark of good faith

Mark Thomas is coming to town to join the comedy star-studded cast in Comedy Benefit For Adrian Bunting Memorial Fund, so he had a chat with Victoria Nangle about seagulls, mullering & open air gigging
In April this year Brighton playwright Adrian Bunting was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. On 11 May he passed away, having fiercely used up a great deal of the intervening time campaigning and fundraising for his last great project – an open air theatre in Dyke Road Park.

As well as being a playwright Adrian was also a leading light in Brighton’s arts scene, and as such made a great many friends in the comedy world over the years. Now a number of them have joined forces to put on one more push for funds to help create Adrian’s vision of a theatre.

Amongst those friends is Mark Thomas – comedian, political activist, journalist and general all round fellow creative. He took a quick moment out of a very busy week to answer a few questions.

Hi Mark, lovely to have to coming back to Brighton and bringing your thought-provoking comedy. This comedy benefit has a marvellous line-up – a tribute to the Brighton playwright Adrian Bunting. Have you been familiar with him and his work for long?
“I met Adrian in Edinburgh last year when I saw him performing in the play Kemble’s Riots. I really liked the show and tried to persuade him that he should find a place to put it on with me performing instead of him – the part of the ramble rouser in that show is brilliant.”

The passion behind the fundraiser is to raise enough money to launch Brighton Open Air Theatre (Boat), something for which Adrian was working hard. Do you think productions benefit from having this kind of arena to be staged in?
“Open air performances are normally special for both audience and performers, as they are open to the vagaries of the weather and seagulls.”

How do you think stand up comedy fares in an open-air setting?
“Comics normally fare better than plays as comics are well versed in veering from the script and improvising, so they can cope with weather and seagulls. And comics constantly make reference to the club and the environment.”
Your last show Bravo Figaro was much acclaimed, and took a new direction in talking more about your family and music. Are you back at the political coalface with your new work in progress; 100 Acts Of Minor Dissent?
“Yes.”

You’ve been politically active for a very long time, stirring up questions and mayhem. I have a very fond memory of a stunt you pulled flying hot air balloons over an ‘invisible’ military installation. Which was your favourite memory of getting the authorities on the backfoot?
“My favourite was bumping into the Chair and CEO of Balfour Beatty in a stairwell in a hotel. Completely out of the blue I was with a Kurdish lawyer, the chair of the bar human rights committee and the most prominent activist on dams when we ran into them, in a very polite and weird fashion we mullered them.”

Is it difficult sometimes to find the ‘funny’ in the serious subjects you address – especially when you do feel passionately about them?
“Well, I have managed to earn a living out of doing this for 28 years so I haven’t f***** up too badly!”

Your Radio 4 series and tour collecting policies from the audiences for a new manifesto was hugely popular. Any likelihood there’ll be more of these?
“Doing more series of the Manifesto is completely at the whim of Radio 4, I shall probably be replaced with a series of ‘Crofting Today’ or baking.”

What were some of your favourite policies that came to light from around the country?
“Streets should be painted the colour they appear in the A-Z – London.
“Demonise spoons to recuse knife crime – Sheffield.
“At the age of 16 all middle class children with unique names get to legally rename their parents. – Sheffield.
“Burn David Cameron in a wicker man to ensure a good harvest – Bristol
“A money back guarantee on strike action (so if you lose the strike you get the money you would have earned if you had gone into work) – Edinburgh
“Anyone found guilty of a homophobic hate crime should serve their entire sentence in drag – Cardiff
“Re-nationalise the railways – everywhere’.”

Who is riling you at the moment?
“The list is too long.”

As someone so constantly aware, where do you find peace of mind?
“I don’t. I am constantly on edge. Alert like a ninja. Or napping.”

Will you come back and perform at Boat once it’s fit for purpose?
“I helped f****** pay for the bloody thing. Of course I expect a f****** gig.”

Comedy Benefit For Adrian Bunting Memorial Fund – featuring Mark Thomas, Stewart Lee,
Tim Vine, Joanna Neary, Simon Evans and Susan Murray, Concert Hall, Brighton Dome, Sunday 16 June, £20/15, 01273 709709, tickets@brightondome.org, target=”_blank”>www.brightondome.org