Andrew Stanley and Friends - Comedy

johnnynolegs · 25-03-2003 1:35pm

huh?

roxy · 25-03-2003 2:27pm

oh here ya go then

Looks nicer with the photo.

Sorry J for doing this!! but I just gotta, man, coz you wouldn't have done it.

**********************

Irish Independent 25 March 2003

A joke a minute on Tea Time Xpress

Only original sketches need apply to join Ireland's sole live radio comedy show which, three years after taking to the airwaves, is still churning out comic gems for Dublin listeners.

Starting with humble beginnings on a Coolock community radio station in September 2000, the creators of Tea Time Xpress have finally found their niche market on Dublin's Spin 103.8, drawing around 2,000 loyal listeners every week.

Among the community on The Front Street are Jason from Jason's Eurosaver who will sell you a Gone with the Wind film script "hand written down off the video meself"; the unhelpful helpline lady; Current Affairs with Dick Withers (which has nothing to do with current affairs), and the ongoing adventures in Aer Finglas, 'the nation's favourite airline'.

And for Joe Donnelly and Keith Walsh the rewards of three years of hard work are paying off, but the "running around" still hasn't stopped in the quest for perfect comedy moments.

"Original comedy sketches, as opposed to reactionary comedy sketches, aren't everybody's cup of tea," says Joe. "The idea is to whittle them down to the ones that really work, and when you get something that can be very populist you know that you've real winners of characters there that can work.

"It was a piece of advice offered to me, and it's very sound advice because they will stand the test of time. It imbues them with a certain quality that you don't always get with a certain knee-jerk reaction to, say, the government jet. You do a sketch on the government jet and then it's dead and gone, whereas the stuff we do should be as funny a year down the road as when it first came out."

But keeping the show fresh calls for lots of work. Tea Time Xpress has never missed a weekly broadcast. Coupled with intensive brainstorming sessions, the weekly deadline can focus the mind into producing the goods.

The adventures of the cast of Aer Finglas, for example, have been ongoing since the show began on Coolock station Near FM. Keith says this section of the hour-long show draws on everything from problem page letters to soap operas in the quest to keep it fresh.

"You have to put a lot of time into it. There's four characters and anything can happen to one of those four characters which can keep the show going for weeks," he says. "There's so many different situations you can put those characters in; it's real-life situations geared towards the characters.

"I have an ongoing theme in my head as to where it's going. I would know about three weeks in advance where it's going so you know what's going to happen, you're just defining it."

The Kildare duo juggle the pressures of full-time jobs with producing the show, which from next month will move to a Saturday morning prime slot, the reward for three years of slog and toil.

The two devote about nine hours a week to refining and developing scripts, as well as coming up with live studio situations which call for audience participation.

"The two of us have developed our little babies, so to speak," adds Joe. "It's very high pressure. There's never a week when it doesn't come together because it has to come together. We want to put on the best possible show and you can't be complacent.

"We're good writers and we've fine-tuned our talents. Once we've teased out what's happening, that's 70pc of the work done."

And Tea Time Xpress has not just gained the attention of listeners of Spin 103.8. Since taking to the airwaves the show has been graced with the presence of Irish comedians Tommy Tiernan, Ed Byrne and Deirdre O'Kane, as well as creators of the multi-award winning The Fast Show Charlie Higson and Paul Whitehouse.

Considering the success to date, syndicating the show to local radio stations around the country is now being considered. Expanding the scope of the show is also on the cards, along with an eventual dream to take it to television.

"Syndication would be very difficult here because there's such a small market, but it's something we'd definitely look at," Joe explains. "It's the advantage of having comedy that isn't reactionary. We know that any one of our sketches would work equally well on Galway Bay FM or WLR as they would on Spin.

"We know there's huge potential and, who knows, it may just happen. Tenacity is what you need. You cannot expect to get things handed on a plate - you have to go looking for it."

So why is no-one else doing live comedy shows on the airwaves?

"Because they're just not funny enough," Keith jokes. "It's very difficult - maybe it's fear. For us it was a natural progression."

Tea Time Xpress broadcasts on Spin 103.8 at 11.45 on Saturday mornings from next month. Until then, it can be heard at 5.45pm.

Yerwan · 25-03-2003 2:39pm

6 Night Stan – Andrew Stanley and Friends

Was at this last night and have to say I nearly pissed myself laughing. There wasn’t a massive crowd but definitely enough to make the room seem full as it is such a cosy small venue.

The opening act was Bernard O’Shea and all I can is that the man is a complete lunatic genius. He ran onto the stage shouted for a while, gave a brief history of the world in his own style sang a few songs and then was gone after what seemed to be only 5 minutes but was actually closer to 20.

The main act of the night was the one and only Karl Spain and he delivered a set that was hilariously funny. His act went on for about 45 minutes and it was non stop funny throughout with his usual charm winning over the audience easily. You could tell why he had won the 2000 RTE New Comedy Awards throughout every joke in this set.

Last but certainly not least was the man presiding over tonight’s affairs Andrew Stanley and even though I have seen him 3 or 4 times before he mixed in some new material with some old brilliantly and his conversations with the audience were nothing short of outstandingly funny. This guy is definitely “Dublin’s Hottest New Comedian” as stated in Hot Press and you should definitely go and see him now before tickets to his shows cost you €30 in a couple of years.

This show is running till Saturday night with 2 different comedians every night and I know I will definitely be there for another one or two of them.

johnnynolegs · 25-03-2003 2:50pm

y thank u

jodie · 25-03-2003 6:22pm

ok how much did you pay that person ??;)

Yerwan · 26-03-2003 9:32am

:eek: Shock! Go to see him this week and you will see yourself how good the show is...You said you seen him in the International so must know how good he is. I've seen alot of the reviews and they all say what i've said.
P.S: You can pay me if you want Mr Stanley.;)

Yerwan · 26-03-2003 9:35am

Your very welcome.:D

johnnynolegs · 26-03-2003 11:16am

go ahead and fight over me ladies.............

Yerwan · 26-03-2003 12:13pm

NO NO NO- I said you were funny not good lookin honey-I wouldnt fight over you...:D

johnnynolegs · 26-03-2003 12:19pm

Yes exactly I am a pro observe how i subtly insult u back in a meaningful manner...........

your ma!!!!!

Yerwan · 26-03-2003 12:31pm

Haha you cheeky little **** your daaaaaaaaaaaa.... Do you want me to start??? Really? Ill make a show of you!

jodie · 26-03-2003 12:35pm

i know he's good

i fully intend goin to see the gig tonight or thursday night....

johnnynolegs · 26-03-2003 12:51pm

well good good jodie well done

make sure to introduce urself to me aswell

shut ur mouth yerwan or ill kick u in the face

*ahem*

Yerwan · 26-03-2003 3:08pm

Scuse me stano... I'd love to see you try. Dont get me started. You know ill let it rip>:)
P.S: Good for you Jodie. Im sure youll do a review just like mine. Youll love it...

johnnynolegs · 26-03-2003 5:06pm

Anyway tonight is Neil Delamare(2001 RTE New Comedy awards winner) and Reuben(Comedy without words)

doors are at 8 with show starting at 9

10euro/8 if you're a student

The rest of the week is like this:
Thursday 27th Mar - Tommy Nicholson and Dermot McMorrow with Special Guest James McDermott
Friday 28th Mar - Eddie Naessens and Matt Saddler
Saturday 29th Mar - James Ghouldsbury and Paul Crowley

polarbelly · 27-03-2003 2:54am

laughed my bum off

wish i could've stayed longer

johnnynolegs · 27-03-2003 10:54am

indeed you missed Neil Delamare who was excellent he ended up doing over an hour of a set

howd the interview go

Yerwan · 27-03-2003 12:18pm

MSN is not working on my PC for sum reason. Just thought I'd let you now Rebecca might be going to your show tonight, so i'd say she'd bring a fair few. The rest of them might come along on Saturday before they head out. Chat later if I get MSN back up and running.:)

johnnynolegs · 27-03-2003 12:39pm

Cool as snow

6 Night Stan - Andrew Stanley and Friends

The Crypt Arts Centre, Dublin Castle

Tonight Featuring Tommy Nicholson(A mind more fertile than a bag of manure - Hot Press) and Dermot McMorrow with special guest James McDermott

Doors are at 8 and show starts at 9

Adm. 10Euro/8 for students

Cheap BUCKFAST promotion also

jodie · 27-03-2003 2:46pm

whats saturday nights line up like i think ive seen james ghouldsbury before i havent heard of the other guy though...
was reuben good last night? sadly the pub won me over ....:)

johnnynolegs · 27-03-2003 3:38pm

well fine then thanks a lot !!!!!

yeah reuben was brilliant as always and Neil was on top top top form

u should come along tonite its gonna be a really really good one

james ghouldsbury is on but its not definite yet and paul crowley is brilliant

johnnynolegs · 28-03-2003 2:31pm

6 Night Stan - Andrew Stanley and Friends - Night 5

The Crypt Arts Centre, Dublin Castle

Tonight Featuring Eddie Naessens and Matt Saddler - 2 of the finest comedians Dublin has to offer

Doors are at 8 and show starts at 9

Adm. 10Euro/8 for students

Cheap BUCKFAST promotion also

thedrowner · 30-03-2003 3:39pm

i went along last night, to night 6 and it was hilarious
paul crowley was great, the guy who did the thom yorke impression....class

dave mc savage made a cameo and he was great. the guy...was id eddie nelson or somethig...he was hysterical. the 'opera' gag had me on the floor.

'we are washing sheets, we are washing sheets'

hey, andrew, u ahve to explain the napolean gag!!!!

johnnynolegs · 01-04-2003 9:40am

thanks to all who came on sat nite hope u all had a good one

the napoleon gag was funny cos the guy who laughed before the punchline ........

jodie · 02-04-2003 9:39pm

Gotta say well done, ya seemed to have pulled off a pretty damn good gig on Saturday night...or so i heard. Didnt make it myself but a few of my friends did. U've got them hooked on comedy now..so its the international every thursday from now on...

thedrowner · 07-04-2003 11:05pm

what was the name of the website u guys are all on, andrew?

johnnynolegs · 15-04-2003 12:24pm

which website?

how come u couldn't make it jodie i was very disappointed tut tut

jodie · 16-04-2003 1:28pm

im sure you were andrew!
i was dragged away for the weekend hence the lack of me at the gig

johnnynolegs · 16-04-2003 1:29pm

well then u better come to my next gigs so there :P

jodie · 16-04-2003 1:39pm

i shall try my very best..whats this about a website do you have one?

Andrew Stanley and Friends - Comedy

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