Jenny Eclair has been an accomplished stand-up for more years than she’d care to remember.
She started out with a first gig at Manchester Poly, moved to London to seek her fortune and ended up being the first woman to win the coveted Perrier Award, scooping the accolade in her 13th appearance at the Edinburgh Festival.
Among her early TV work was Packet Of Three, which she wrote and acted in alongside Frank Skinner.
She’s come a long way and is back on the road with her tour Old Dog, New Tricks, which comes to Lincoln Performing Arts Centre on April Fool’s Day, appropriately enough.
Having seen Jenny’s show, I know there’s a lot of pacing up and down, so is there a lot of nervous energy inside?
“I prowl,” she says. “I’m basically working to burn off some calories. You play lots of different styles of theatres and you want to give everyone a go at seeing you.
“They will find a lot out about me, and they will find out a bit about themselves because they will recognise chunks of their lives. It’s about looking in the mirror
“There’s a real streak of teenage rebellion there for people that are still growing up. Everyone’s 17 at the core, they show off, fall over – all that kind of thing.
“But you have to acknowledge the passing of time. If I was still on stage standing there just being filthy it would be unbearable. And a little bleak.
“Your audience grows old with you. A lot of them are the same age as me. There’s definitely no one under 16, because its too traumatic for them.”
And yet tales of middle-age, true life and the facts of life prove a popular draw for the audiences, with many venues selling out.
“It’s a combination of experience, writing, and getting the right audience.
“Put me in front of the wrong audience and I’ll die on my arse on stage.
“Most people know what they are coming to see. I’m usually quite welcome on stage.
“But it’s a low-pressure tour, I’m going to some nice medium-sized theatres. There’s a huge amount of competition and everyone’s so skint.”
You’re as likely to see Jenny on Grumpy Old Women, This Morning or Loose Women as on the comedy circuit these days.
And away from touring and being on the box, she’s carved out a niche as a successful writer, both as a columnist and with a couple of novels. A third is on the way. Her theatre roles have included the Vagina Monologues and she was also in I’m A Celebrity, trapped in the jungle – a performance she admits “opened some doors”.
Finally, playing within the university campus, and with a daughter at uni, I checked if she’s a cool mum.
“She’s a bit too old to be impressed,” said Jenny. “I rarely get young and trendy people in. If there were, they’d be there with their mum for their mum’s birthday treat.”
Friday, March 25
Tuesday, March 22
The experience of a lifetime - priceless
Tickets for the London 2012 Olympic Games went on sale this week.
But will you be splashing out on the spectacular?
For one thing, you’ll need a Visa card to pay – as they won’t accept anything else online.
Secondly, the money will go out of your bank account before you know what you’ve been allocated, so if you’re trying to second-guess what might be popular and over-book as an insurance policy, it may and up being rather costly.
And if you get too many tickets, you can’t get a refund. You can sell them on in a specially-licensed website.
Getting there may be tricky – and if you want to stay over, the hotels are already getting booked up.
But it will be the experience of a lifetime and with so many tickets on sale for a choice of dates over more than two weeks – some events free and others from £20 – you’d be kicking yourself if you didn’t take a trip down the A1 for the experience.
Six million tickets went on sale with 500 days to go.
I feel as though I’d be doing my children a disservice if I didn’t at least try to get some.
They’d love to see Becky Adlington swim to gold, because their swimming teacher coached her when she was starting out. Or perhaps Lincolnshire Olympian Kate Haywood in the pool going for a gong in the breaststroke.
That would be between £50 and £450 per seat, depending on where you sit and the session runs from 7.30pm to 9.30pm.
The opening ceremony would be the memory of a lifetime, even if it really will be the austerity games, done on a budget.
We might be able to get some of the 2.5 million tickets which are on sale for the minimum £20.
But they’re probably for early morning shooting or fencing, or something that wouldn’t mean that much to the under-eights.
If we wanted to stay for the day that might involve three sessions though, with the later ones coming in at £70 or more. So we could be looking at about £500 for a day out, excluding travel, food and an overnight stay.
It is true that many of us are worried for our jobs nowadays but this WILL be the memory of a lifetime.
As the credit card that isn’t Visa would say: “Priceless”.
But will you be splashing out on the spectacular?
For one thing, you’ll need a Visa card to pay – as they won’t accept anything else online.
Secondly, the money will go out of your bank account before you know what you’ve been allocated, so if you’re trying to second-guess what might be popular and over-book as an insurance policy, it may and up being rather costly.
And if you get too many tickets, you can’t get a refund. You can sell them on in a specially-licensed website.
Getting there may be tricky – and if you want to stay over, the hotels are already getting booked up.
But it will be the experience of a lifetime and with so many tickets on sale for a choice of dates over more than two weeks – some events free and others from £20 – you’d be kicking yourself if you didn’t take a trip down the A1 for the experience.
Six million tickets went on sale with 500 days to go.
I feel as though I’d be doing my children a disservice if I didn’t at least try to get some.
They’d love to see Becky Adlington swim to gold, because their swimming teacher coached her when she was starting out. Or perhaps Lincolnshire Olympian Kate Haywood in the pool going for a gong in the breaststroke.
That would be between £50 and £450 per seat, depending on where you sit and the session runs from 7.30pm to 9.30pm.
The opening ceremony would be the memory of a lifetime, even if it really will be the austerity games, done on a budget.
We might be able to get some of the 2.5 million tickets which are on sale for the minimum £20.
But they’re probably for early morning shooting or fencing, or something that wouldn’t mean that much to the under-eights.
If we wanted to stay for the day that might involve three sessions though, with the later ones coming in at £70 or more. So we could be looking at about £500 for a day out, excluding travel, food and an overnight stay.
It is true that many of us are worried for our jobs nowadays but this WILL be the memory of a lifetime.
As the credit card that isn’t Visa would say: “Priceless”.
Five minutes with Graham Gouldman, 10cc
Art rock band 10cc visit The Embassy Centre in Skegness on Friday, March 25. Founder member Graham Gouldman spoke to Patrick Astill ...
Were you propelled to stardom with 10cc?
10cc just kind of evolved. We were like the house band at the studio, working on different projects.
When the studio wasn’t working we wrote and performed together. We recorded a B side, Donna, and that was that!
I have Deceptive Bends and Bloody Tourists at home – do you have a favourite project?
The most pleasurable album for me was Sheet Music. I’m particularly proud of Deceptive Bends, though.
It was the first that Eric [Stewart] and I did after Kevin [Godley] and Lol [Creme] left the band. We kept the name on and there was expectancy. Half the team had left.
So did you fear for the future after the departure of Godley and Creme?
There was no fear for the future. It was more whether we had the right to keep the name. We had something to prove.
People know you best from the 1970s. Do you feel as though you are trapped in time?
There’s no point in looking back. We want to create something different.
At the beginning you have your influences, then you hear things and you want to bring those styles into your work. I don’t think anyone cares about persona with 10cc. People care about the music.
That’s held us in good stead.
How easy is it to work with the band you’ve got touring? A couple of them have been with you for many years now.
People should have the best, if it’s possible. Paul Burgess has been with us since 1973 and Rick Fenn since 1976, so it has not been thrown together just for the tour.
Mike Stevens, who’s on keyboards, is the musical director for Take That and as soon as our British tour is finished, he’s going to get into that.
Mick Wilson is a fantastic singer and multi-tasks. People always say we’re a fantastic unit.
You started off your career as a writer in the 1960s, penning hits for the Yardbirds, the Hollies, Herman’s Hermits and Jeff Beck. What work have you got on after the tour?
There’s still writing. I’m working on a solo album as various other projects, some of which will reach fruition and some won’t. There’s pleasure in the attempt, and that’s always good.
Were you propelled to stardom with 10cc?
10cc just kind of evolved. We were like the house band at the studio, working on different projects.
When the studio wasn’t working we wrote and performed together. We recorded a B side, Donna, and that was that!
I have Deceptive Bends and Bloody Tourists at home – do you have a favourite project?
The most pleasurable album for me was Sheet Music. I’m particularly proud of Deceptive Bends, though.
It was the first that Eric [Stewart] and I did after Kevin [Godley] and Lol [Creme] left the band. We kept the name on and there was expectancy. Half the team had left.
So did you fear for the future after the departure of Godley and Creme?
There was no fear for the future. It was more whether we had the right to keep the name. We had something to prove.
People know you best from the 1970s. Do you feel as though you are trapped in time?
There’s no point in looking back. We want to create something different.
At the beginning you have your influences, then you hear things and you want to bring those styles into your work. I don’t think anyone cares about persona with 10cc. People care about the music.
That’s held us in good stead.
How easy is it to work with the band you’ve got touring? A couple of them have been with you for many years now.
People should have the best, if it’s possible. Paul Burgess has been with us since 1973 and Rick Fenn since 1976, so it has not been thrown together just for the tour.
Mike Stevens, who’s on keyboards, is the musical director for Take That and as soon as our British tour is finished, he’s going to get into that.
Mick Wilson is a fantastic singer and multi-tasks. People always say we’re a fantastic unit.
You started off your career as a writer in the 1960s, penning hits for the Yardbirds, the Hollies, Herman’s Hermits and Jeff Beck. What work have you got on after the tour?
There’s still writing. I’m working on a solo album as various other projects, some of which will reach fruition and some won’t. There’s pleasure in the attempt, and that’s always good.
Wednesday, March 2
Angelos Epithemiou. Nuff said.
Ex-burger van owner Angelos Epithemiou is part-way through a national tour, on the back of his role as scorekeeper on TV’s Shooting Stars.
Patrick Astill caught up with him on the road …
Q: You were driving when I rang. Have you parked up the van?
A:I’ve parked up the van. No, the van’s gone! That’s all gone, that’s out of the window; that part of my life is no more. My van was blown up by mysterious forces.
Q: Is that what forced you into doing the tour? Or are you doing that of your own volition?
A:I’m not doing the tour of my own volition. I’ve been told to do it by the big-wigs, the money men, and very possibly the Government is involved somewhere down the line. I don’t want to be in it. I’d rather be at home watching my collection of Crimewatch videos with a Magnum.
Q: The show’s title suggests you’re on tour with your friends.
A:That’s correct. But although I talk about Ian, Kenny, Mrs Swallow and Tinned Tomatoes, there aren’t actually any friends on stage with me.
Q: What’s the best and worst thing about being on tour?
A:The worst thing about it is that I have to do it. The best thing is that I can go home every night afterwards.
I’ve done half of it but now I’m having a break. Which is very good.
I get to go all over the country in a nice motor.
We’re going up to Preston and Sheffield in the next few weeks. As high as that.
Q: You’ll need a break after all that. Where do you go on holiday?
A:This year I’m going to lovely Neasden. Have you heard of Neasden?
The shopping is very good there and they have loads of pound shops. I just want to spend some quality “me-time”
Q: Have you kept in touch with any celebrities after being on Shooting Stars?
A:I have spent a lot of time with the Hairy Bikers recently, talking about hair and bikes. I cook stuff for them. I say: “Just try this.” Then I get out a box of Findus burgers. They take one bite and say something. But I don’t know what it means, I’m finding their accents hard.
Q: And what about Ulrika? Do you manage to see anything of her?
A: I see a lot of her! ’Cause I stand outside her bedroom window. I see her all the time. I’m getting closer – last week I stood outside her kitchen window. It’s only a matter of time before she asks me to go in.
Q: What are your immediate plans for the future?
A:After this I’m going to go down Londis and have a look for food that’s just going off. You can get it cheap.
Then I’ll bung on Crimewatch.
Q: Some of my friends see you as a problem-solver. They asked if you had any advice for life.
A:If you find yourself in France, don’t panic – just lie down on the floor and curl up in a ball and assistance WILL arrive.
Q: Angelos, what’s in the bag?
A: A lump of meat in case I get hungry, one of those miniature skinhead men (an Action Man) and a gun. It’s a toy gun.
Patrick Astill caught up with him on the road …
Q: You were driving when I rang. Have you parked up the van?
A:I’ve parked up the van. No, the van’s gone! That’s all gone, that’s out of the window; that part of my life is no more. My van was blown up by mysterious forces.
Q: Is that what forced you into doing the tour? Or are you doing that of your own volition?
A:I’m not doing the tour of my own volition. I’ve been told to do it by the big-wigs, the money men, and very possibly the Government is involved somewhere down the line. I don’t want to be in it. I’d rather be at home watching my collection of Crimewatch videos with a Magnum.
Q: The show’s title suggests you’re on tour with your friends.
A:That’s correct. But although I talk about Ian, Kenny, Mrs Swallow and Tinned Tomatoes, there aren’t actually any friends on stage with me.
Q: What’s the best and worst thing about being on tour?
A:The worst thing about it is that I have to do it. The best thing is that I can go home every night afterwards.
I’ve done half of it but now I’m having a break. Which is very good.
I get to go all over the country in a nice motor.
We’re going up to Preston and Sheffield in the next few weeks. As high as that.
Q: You’ll need a break after all that. Where do you go on holiday?
A:This year I’m going to lovely Neasden. Have you heard of Neasden?
The shopping is very good there and they have loads of pound shops. I just want to spend some quality “me-time”
Q: Have you kept in touch with any celebrities after being on Shooting Stars?
A:I have spent a lot of time with the Hairy Bikers recently, talking about hair and bikes. I cook stuff for them. I say: “Just try this.” Then I get out a box of Findus burgers. They take one bite and say something. But I don’t know what it means, I’m finding their accents hard.
Q: And what about Ulrika? Do you manage to see anything of her?
A: I see a lot of her! ’Cause I stand outside her bedroom window. I see her all the time. I’m getting closer – last week I stood outside her kitchen window. It’s only a matter of time before she asks me to go in.
Q: What are your immediate plans for the future?
A:After this I’m going to go down Londis and have a look for food that’s just going off. You can get it cheap.
Then I’ll bung on Crimewatch.
Q: Some of my friends see you as a problem-solver. They asked if you had any advice for life.
A:If you find yourself in France, don’t panic – just lie down on the floor and curl up in a ball and assistance WILL arrive.
Q: Angelos, what’s in the bag?
A: A lump of meat in case I get hungry, one of those miniature skinhead men (an Action Man) and a gun. It’s a toy gun.
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