Comedy: Steve Punt interview

Punt & Dennis are coming to town with a brand new show! Steve Punt had a word with Victoria Nangle about it

You have been working with Hugh Dennis for a long time. What’s the secret to a good comedy relationship?
“Alcohol. Tolerance. The ability to deflect flying tomatoes towards the other person.”

Can you tell us something unusual about the show you’re about to tour?
“It features a large photograph of some Danish pastries, and a horse peering through a window.”

What’s your favourite aspect of taking a new show out on the road?
“The fact it’s new. New jokes are always the most fun.”

There’s such a quick turnaround of material on The Now Show. Do you ever find a dark wish that a story in the news will continue for a couple more days so that you can write more about a particular subject?
“It’s very sad sometimes watching a big laugh shrivel and die as the story becomes less and less topical. Those kind of jokes are like mayflies, really.”

How small is Jon Holmes [Now Show regular]? And do you have a current favourite description of his minutiae?
“He once got beaten up by a gang of Playmobil people, I know that…”

I loved The Mary Whitehouse Experience. These days it seems that satire has become more the domain of older more established comics. Ideally situated on the Now Show to see younger comics with something to say in this sphere, which four young contemporary funny folk would you lock in a room and give a BBC show to?
“Holly Walsh, Sara Pascoe, Lloyd Langford and someone really short – so there can be jokes about it.”

What do you have plans to do ‘one day’?
“A novel about the very early days of television, which I think are really interesting – so little has changed!”

And what do you plan to do in 2014?
“Watch the World Cup, and finally put that self-assembly cupboard together.”

As a prolific writer and editor for others, what is your favourite word?
“Nugatory. No idea what it means.”

Punt & Dennis, Theatre Royal Brighton, Monday 24 February 2014, 7.30pm, £27.40, www.atgtickets.com/shows/punt-and-dennis/theatre-royal-brighton