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25:09:14

The prodigal sonPoet and comedian Tim Key comes home.

We’re ecstatic. You should be too.

26 | September 25, 2014 | cambridge-news.co.uk | Cambridge News

Tim Key is amarvel in theworlds of comedyand poetry.ELLA WALKERquizzes him onhis misspentCambridgeyouth, workingwith SteveCoogan and, um,pornographicplaying cards…

Editor:Ella Walkeremail:ella.walker@cambridge-news.co.uk

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THE HEADLINER: COMEDY

the critical listThis week’s entertainment highlights

Tim Key:“Working with Steve Coogan

is constantly surreal”

HOT TICKETS WHAT’S ONWHAT’S ON HOT TICKETSHOT TICKETS WHAT’S ONWHAT’S ON HOT TICKETS

Tim Key: Single White Slut,Cambridge Junction, Saturday,September 27 at 7pm and 9.15pm.Tickets £16 from (01223) 511511 /junction.co.uk.

Cambridge News | cambridge-news.co.uk | September 25, 2014 | 27

IONCE watched Tim Key shakeup a can of beer and tip it outinto his pockets. He was wearing

a suit, quite a nice suit in fact,and he just poured the sticky,frothing mess all over the place,practically showering in it, beforeunceremoniously carrying on withhis performance.

It was at Latitude 2013 in thecabaret tent where he inducedserious face ache and madebrains scrunch up in bemusement(weirdly the 38-year-old hasgraced Latitude’s poetry, theatreand cabaret stages in the past, butso far no comedy tent slot – whatare they playing at?!).

As Key talked – snippets ofbizarre poetry, crazy one-liners,strewn with more jackanorymoments – laminated cards withhis jokes and verses written onthem spun out on to the floor. Itwas all rather odd, but brilliant,and strangely beautiful.

The comedian, poet and actorgrew up in Impington – more ofwhich later – went to Hills RoadSixth Form College, worked at

Cambridge Arts Picturehouse for awhile and ended up in Footlightsafter studying Russian at SheffieldUniversity.

Since then his life has becomea whirl of touring, EdinburghFestival Award nominations (hefinally won in 2009), becomingAlan Partridge’s sidekick in theweb series Mid Morning Matters,radio appearances (you’ll regularlyfind him on BBC Radio 4 makingdocumentaries and working withfellow bearded comedian MarkWatson), and now he’s playing twohomecoming gigs at CambridgeJunction.

So Tim, what should we expectfrom your latest show, SingleWhite Slut?

“There’s some poetry you have

to get past, and then some basictalking and a bit of shouting andfrowning. There’s also a danceelement. And I have a bed onstage. It’s a safety net, somewhereto lay if it all gets a bit too much.It’s a fairly interesting show, in myopinion.”

What feeling do you wantpeople to walk out with at theend of it?

“Hopefully they will havelaughed. But if I was feeling reallyambitious I’d say I’d like them tomutter something like ‘that was abit different’.”

Why the continued “slut”theme in your shows [Tim’sprevious shows have includedThe Slutcracker and Masterslut]?

“Ha! Not really a theme so

much as an unfortunate branding,which I stumbled into. That wordfeatures in the titles; less so in theshow. The show’s more aboutthings like tooth fairies and failedromances.”

How did growing up inCambridge impact on yourcareer?

“Actually it was very important.I finished university (in Sheffield)and was all set to start some kindof career doing something orother vaguely connected to mydegree. I came back to my familyin Impington and stayed therewhilst I worked out what kindof a job I could do. And whilst Iwas doing that I auditioned forFootlights. And that was my in.If I was from anywhere else

‘I auditioned for Footlights. And that was my in. If I wasfrom anywhere else apart from Cambridge there’s NOCHANCE I would be doing this’

THE HEADLINER: COMEDY

‘CONSTANTLY SURREAL’: Tim Key andSteve Coogan in a scene from AlanPartridge: Alpha Papa

28 | September 25, 2014 | cambridge-news.co.uk | Cambridge News

THE HEADLINER: COMEDYapart from Cambridge there’sNO CHANCE I would be doing this.”

If you hadn’t broken intoFootlights [he was never actuallya Cambridge student so shouldn’thave been allowed to audition,he just said his university emailaddress hadn’t come through andkept schtum], what do you thinkyou’d have ended up doing?

“Mm. Not sure. I was doing thingslike applying for The Home Officebut I don’t think that would havebeen for me. A frustrated writermaybe. Journalism course. Godknows. Move to Ukraine. I think Imight have been a bit of a rudderlessmess, if I’m honest. Lucky to havefallen into this, really.”

What do you love aboutCambridge? Do you have anyparticularly vivid memories of livinghere?

“Millions. I was born there anddidn’t really flee the nest till I wassurprisingly far into my 20s. Mymemories are what you’d expect, Isuppose. Punting asa little boy, andthen puntingwith beersas a

teenager. Fun nights in thepubs: Anchor/Eagle/Mill; sweaty,romantically unsuccessful nights inthe Junction. Cycling about, playinglots of football, trying to get my headround Snowy Farr. That sort of thing.”

Are you still writing poems onpornographic playing cards? Whatoriginally prompted that?

“Well, it’s not just pornographicones. I have an array. For everypornographic one there is onedepicting The Lake District or Riga.The porn came into play in my lastshow. It did actually have a point toit, if you can believe it. The cardsare very important for me. They’rea great way to develop a show;chucking down the ones that me andthe audience don’t like; keeping theones we do.”

How far does the Tim Key onstage match the Tim Key off stage?

“The one off stage is moremeasured. More shy. Less self-assured. Sometimes I’d like to bemore like him; but actually I think itwould be pretty unsustainable.”

How did your first gig go?“Terrible, terrible, terrible.I couldn’t work out how

to use the mic. It keptpopping. Blank faceseverywhere. One bitthat worked. I built onthat as best I could.”

What is

guaranteed to make you laugh?“Obvious stuff I’m afraid. The

Office, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Jeevesand Wooster. I watched some verynice live stuff up in Edinburgh lastmonth. Alex Horne was on theform of his life. Nick Mohammed,a madman, was very funny. MarkWatson, Daniel Kitson, SimonAmstell. And John Kearns. He’scurrently on fire.”

What inspires you about yourfellow comedians?

“When you see someone has puttogether something unbelievablygood, that can be inspiring. It’salways a good sign when you feeljealous. I watched a show by KimNoble in Edinburgh. Very differentfrom what I do but, yes, veryinspiring. His show was incrediblyambitious and very personal. Itmade me think I needed to have agood think about what I do next,make sure it’s good! Alex Horne’sshow did the same. I always admirehard work. That’s what those showshad in common; allied to a touch ofgenius of course.”

What has been the maddestmoment of your career so far?

“Working with Steve Coogan isconstantly surreal. I’ll never getused to it. There was one episode,were he’s giving me a dressingdown and it lasted about a minute.His veins were popping and he

was really, really laying into me.That’s surreal. Your comedy herogiving it to you with both barrels.Yes. Utterly mad. And a bitdamaging.”

How would you like to beremembered?

“God knows. I’d like to makesomething at some stage that peoplecontinue to watch sometimes onceI’m all dead. Like a film or something.If not, the next best thing is thatpeople remember a show I did withany fondness at all.”

What would you like to work onnext, if there were no restrictionsand you could collaborate withanyone?

“I’m fortunate. I’m working withwho I want to. Right now AlexHorne, Daniel Kitson, Mark Watsonand Tom Basden. So it’s all fine at themoment. I guess I’d like to bein a Shane Meadows film. Or justmeet Hugh Laurie or something.”

And what do you actually haveplanned next?

“I’m writing my radio show at themoment. It’s a poetry thing withTom Basden playing guitar andquestioning me throughout.Then there’s some stuff that’s notconfirmed so I don’t think I cansay. Hopefully more Mid-MorningMatters. I keep checking my emails.I can just watch sport until somethingcomes along.”

‘If I wasn’t acomedian I wouldhave been… tryingto perfect myRussian, possiblyliving somewhereRussian’

HAPPY MEMORIES: Tim lovedgrowing up in Cambridge, inparticular, punting, drinking,cycling, going to the Junctionand “trying to get my headround Snowy Farr”

IS THIS TIM’SBEST JOKE

EVER?“Drive Thru McDonalds

was more expensivethan I thought ... once

you’ve hired the car ...” – itcame fourth in the 2011Edinburgh Fringe top 10

jokes list.