THE last time Liverpool Confidential interviewed Sean Hughes was a few years ago, a phoner ahead of a gig he was doing at in Runcorn.
It didn't go well. The comedian, who was once the darling of the circuit and TV, in the days when comedy was the new rock n roll, had had a few. Possibly more than a few. The call ended in a big mess, so much so that we were unable to run a story. Oh the irony from a man who was the youngest ever winner of the Perrier Award, in 1989.
Aha! you say. Calll yourselves journalists! THAT was the story!
Yeah, well.
But the news we like to report is Hughes has quit the booze.
"The other night, pretty drunk at the end of the evening, my friend asked if I wanted to go for a 'proper' drink," he says. "Thank God those days are over for me now. I quit drinking totally for a couple of years because I was having too many 'proper' drinks. I knew I was drinking too much when I had to be put out at a party. I don't mean I was asked to leave. My jacket was on fire."
Hughes promises a return to form following a critically acclaimed and audience-packed run of his new show, Penguins, at The Edinburgh Fringe which was awarded the Herald Angels Award for Best Comedy show.
"This is a show so full of surprises, and hidden twists and recurring themes that you find yourself mapping it out hours later," says the blurb.
Hughes takes us back to his Dublin upbringing and the, at times, utter awkwardness of teenage life Weaving in his family, his school days and the business of friendship and tying it all in to the present.
Second chances, they are good things. No idea why it's called Penguins though.
Sean Hughes in Penguins, Unity Theatre, Hope Place, L1. Saturday September 27. 8.30pm. Tickets here phone 0844 873 2888
The play with no name
The scene is set, the audience has spoken, the theme has been chosen...BY YOU!
Impropriety, Liverpool's premier improvisation company are well worth getting acquainted with. And you will be taking a punt on the unknown this weekend when they present ImproPlay, a completely improvised play with the style, genre and title all chosen by the public. Over the last few weeks, people have been voting for the exact play that they want, tailor made by your suggestions. Will you be checking out their Checkov? Blown
away by their Brecht? Startled by their Shakespeare? Who knows?
ImproPlay, Unity Theatre, Hope Place, Friday September 25, 9pm. Tickets £5,
Huyton PoetThe bard of Huyton
Described, allegedly, by the Knotty Ash Squire as a "very special young man", the Huyton Poet is the product of an unholy union between Pam Ayers and Peter Kaye. No not literally, we are talking artistically, innit?
“I’ve never seen anything so funny and so fresh,” says Crissy Rock.
“You silly old fool, You’ll get up on that stage and the people will just laugh at you” says Mrs Huyton Poet
Anyway, make your own mind up whether rhyme and reason equals rib-tickling this Saturday. It's an early gig to get you in the mood. In the mood for what, we don't know.
The Huyton Poet, 81 Renshaw Street, 27 Sep 2014. 5pm.
Banging and blowing
Vikki Stone, stand-up comedian, actress and musician is one to watch.
As a child she became flautist for the National Children's Orchestra. Later she completed classical training in both acting and music. Not content with that, she got into stand up comedy, winning a load of awards. Sounds a bit like another Victoria, but one made of Wood not Stone.
Anyway, she has blagged, stolen and borrowed 20 musical instruments. Some she can play really quite well, and others, at the time of writing, not so well.
"This collection of instruments, each with a story, will become the underscore for this tale of love, loss and music at the Royal Court downstairs bar, this Friday.
'Hilarious and brilliant' says Heat mag.
Vikki Stone: Instrumental: Royal Court downstairs bar, Roe Street, Liverpool, Saturday September 27, 8.30pm. Two for one tickets, £11. Book by website or phone 0870 787 1866
