Terry Alderton talks to Emma McAlpine about reinvention, weird fans and dinner with Mickey Rourke...
Having impressed audiences all over the country in 2010, not to mention New Zealand and Australia, Terry Alderton is on the top of his game at the moment. His whirlwind act - a combination of impressions, schizophrenic voices, singing, dancing, anecdotes and improvised set pieces - earned him a Three Weeks Critic's Choice Award in Edinburgh and a Best International Act Award at the NZ Comedy Festival. Having previously chatted to Terry in 2009, it was high time we caught up with the multi-talented comic to find out what he's been up to since...
You've been pretty busy since we last spoke to you, touring the UK and winning several awards - would you say 2010 has been your best year in comedy so far?
I would say yes to this question, because I feel that my reinvention is complete and I might now have changed any preconception that anyone had about my comedy. The awards are nice and say to me the game is being played.
What was the highlight?
Discovering a peer respect. That’s the best accolade you can get in this business.
Any new resolutions for 2011?
Not be so hard on myself. And ‘comedically’ I'm going to keep pushing the boundaries.
Do you find it easy to switch off from comedy at home or do you end up testing bits on your family?
You can never switch off, something will pop in your head and then you're away on another idea for the show. If I sound things out with my wife and she doesn't laugh it's in!
Have you had any weird experiences on stage last year, either with the crowd or your inner voices?!
It's always weird! Although, I think the strangest thing to happen last year was when a drunk women insisted she wanted to talk to me but she would only talk to my voice! I told her I didn't understand what she meant. To which she announced she was from Southend. I told her that I’d be there soon and asked why she’d come to Birmingham, to which she replied that she comes to most of my gigs! I then said I didn't think I was that good to which she said “You’re not! I come to listen to the voices! You’re shit!”
Where do you see your act developing, would you ever go back to observational comedy or is it theatrical shows all the way now?
In short, I would love to play to big audiences, who are there to see me and be a part of what I'm trying to do. The way it is going, metaphorically speaking, I start the show spinning plates and the audience and I have the job of keeping them spinning. To take it to the next level I want the playground to get bigger and full of kids who know what I do.
You must be pretty well-travelled by now. What's been your favourite place you've travelled to and why?
I have been to many wonderful places. I can't say one has been better than the other, but I did enjoy my time in Australia last year hanging out with Tim Vine (The Joker), a real hoot! going to the F1 and the Aussie Rules every few days! Seeing friends I'd only ever seen in the UK in their own home. Great!
You've often talked about how Ben Norris and Eddie Izzard gave you good advice in the past with your act. What advice do you find yourself giving to others?
The only advice I give if asked, is never listen to the dressing room, listen to yourself. And to quote a cliché “If in doubt leave it out.. but on mad night throw it in!”
Touring aside, what else can we look forward to from you in 2011. Do you have any plans for any more TV projects like the brilliant Danny Dire series?
At the moment I'm writing a sitcom pilot for the BBC. Danny Dire nothing I'm afraid as I love playing him. Although, I'm in the middle of putting together a pilot for a sketch show with Brassneck TV so he may appear there. As for stand up this year I’ll be at NZ comedy Festival, Edinburgh Festival as well as UK tour.
Who was the last person you met that made you genuinely star-struck?
My wife and I were invited to a restaurant in Swiss cottage by a friend of my wife's. We arrived as two couples and on entering the restaurant we were greeted by Jeff the owner. He introduced us to another couple, a Russian woman, a thick-set American gent and his friend another American gent. We all sat down to small talk and what not. The food started to arrive and whilst eating the thick-set chap continued to talk. As I looked at him he had a funny look about him. I turned to my wife and announced that I thought he looked like "that actor who had the plastic surgery" she told me to be quiet. He continued as I did with my scrutiny. Then it came to me! "He looks like Mickey Rourke!", to which in a kind of gritted, keep-your-voice-down tone my wife said "IT IS MICKEY ROURKE"! Star-struck, no. But it was quite strange.
Photo credit: Open Mike
Terry Alderton is at the Bloomsbury Theatre on Saturday 15th January at 8pm
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