Review: Russell at the Lyric Theatre in London
Posted in review, standup on May 16th, 2012 by starleighFrom London’s Evening Standard:
“Nice here, innit.” Russell Brand’s first London show since his divorce from Katy Perry found him in high spirits and as playful as ever. He had no sooner walked onstage than he had stepped off it into the audience, asking for the lights to be turned on so that he could assess his female fans: “I’m single now, it matters,” he chuckled seductively.
This gig was a work-in-progress, but that did not stop it from selling out within an hour. Nor did that stop it from being hilarious in parts. The charismatic bearded star was dressed down in plain grey trousers and T-shirt, but there was nothing grey about his patter. He colourfully discussed allegations about John Travolta, teasingly mocked the Lyric’s grubby set for their current production Three Kingdoms and, most fruitfully, re-enacted his recent talk about drugs in front of the Home Affairs Select Committee, revealing that Noel Gallagher said his cowboy-and-leather look made him resemble “WWF wrestler The Undertaker”.
What Brand did not do, however, was joke about his marriage. Though he did say that his cat Morrissey seems happier now it is just the two of them again. In other news he is chums with Tom Cruise following their appearance together in the movie Rock of Ages and he is currently making a Comic Relief documentary about the perils of addiction following the death of his friend Amy Winehouse, who he described, affectionately, as a “poor cow”.
Most of all Brand was his trademark fascinating mass of contradictions, a witty Oscar Wilde-quoting thinker offering intimate sex tips despite his mother being in the audience. Having bemoaned the cultural subjugation of women in society he said goodbye and offered to sign women’s breasts in the bar. Welcome back Russell.
Russell is Back in LA for Friday Gig (& Ellen Show)
Posted in appearances, standup, television on May 15th, 2012 by starleigh
After his triumphant return to UK standup with an intimate gig that sold out in about half an hour at the Lyric in London, Russell is back in LA and this Friday will be performing at the Acme Comedy Club. Details and tickets can be found at LaughStub.
Also, be sure to tune in to the Ellen DeGeneres show on Thursday May 17, as Russell will chat with Ellen and will also be introduced to Sophia Grace and Rosie, the two little singing/dancing girls from Britain who have become famous via Ellen’s show.
Russell to Host 2012 MTV Movie Awards
Posted in events, films on May 10th, 2012 by starleigh
Russell has been announced as the host of the 2012 MTV Movie Awards which will air live from Los Angeles on June 3 at 9 pm.
Jesse Ignjatovic, executive producer of the show, had this to say about Russell:
I think Russell’s the perfect host for this show. He’s a movie star. He’s probably one of the most brilliant stand-ups that I’ve seen in his time, and he’s a rock star.
Whatever we end up creating around him within the show, he brings that danger thing as well. We’d love for the show to live there, where you don’t know how he’s going to react to something in the moment. He’s so sharp and witty and on his game that that’s an exciting place to live.
He has amazing comedic chops. He’s brilliant. He touches all of the areas that I think are important to us. Add to that I think he’s one of the most professional people I’ve worked with in terms of comedians. He’s well-studied and very dedicated to his craft. I think we’re very fortunate that he said ‘yes.’
Well, I kind of think Russell is too good for MTV, but I can’t argue with the rest of those comments!
It’ll be good promotion for Rock of Ages and Brand X as well, both of which come out in June.
Rustyboots Review: What About Dick?
Posted in events, photos, theatre on May 7th, 2012 by starleigh
Last weekend I had the pleasure of attending two performances of What About Dick?, a stage play by Eric Idle of Monty Python fame, starring our own Russell Brand in the title role.
What About Dick? also stars such titans of British comedy as Eddie Izzard, Tracey Ullman, Billy Connolly, and Tim Curry.
The play is set “between 1910 and eight o’clock,” according to Idle, and is performed as a radio play, with the actors reading from scripts. The stage is set to look like a cozy living room, with a rug, couch, and chairs. All the actors remain on stage at all times, whether they’re speaking or not, and they simply sit down in one of the chairs if they’re not in a particular scene.
I’m not sure I can accurately describe the plot, which almost didn’t seem like a plot, but more like a loose narrative on which to base a whole lot of double entendres and weird but wonderful conversations. Basically, it was about a piano, but the piano is a metaphor for numerous things, and not an actual piano. And the piano is played by Eric Idle, who is the narrator of the story. See what I mean about it being hard to explain?
Photos: Russell at West Ham
Posted in photos on May 7th, 2012 by starleigh
Russell celebrates West Ham United’s win against Cardiff City at the Boleyn Ground on May 7, 2012 in London, England.
Photos: Russell Attends Nancy’s Fundraiser in LA
Posted in charity, events, photos on April 29th, 2012 by starleigh
Russell Brand attends Nancy’s Garden party fundraiser benefiting Los Angeles Area locals Nancy and Jay Westbrook at Miauhaus Studios on April 29, 2012 in Los Angeles, California.
Review: What About Dick?
Posted in events on April 27th, 2012 by starleigh
This is the first review I’ve found for What About Dick, which had its first of four performances last night in Los Angeles.
Excerpt from Huffington Post:
It proved to be one of the most exciting theatrical evenings of my eventful life. Utter madness, brilliant innovation, weirdly wonderful… and deeply moving. Think of a half-dozen of the greatest comic talents of the English-speaking world on one stage for an evening of somewhat scripted, somewhat improvised performance, and you will understand what I mean. The lead role in what is basically a radio play set at the self-same Orpheum Theatre during a radio broadcast in 1941 with the cast reading from scripts, was played by that tabloid British actor/comedien/ bad boy (ex-husband of Katy Perry) Russell Brand.
Read the rest here.
I don’t like that the first word used to describe Russell here is “tabloid” or that he continues to be referred to in relation to Katy Perry, but whatever … obviously this guy isn’t particularly a fan and he still says Russell did a good job, so that’s what matters.
