Rory Roars Back – 28th May

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In an increasing insane world the biting political satire of impressionist Rory Bremner often seemed a lone voice of sanity with lots of laughs thrown in.

The voices of Blair, Brown, Bush and Blunkett were all nailed brilliantly on Channel 4’s Bremner, Bird and Fortune, but now he’s playing the City Varieties on May 28 headlining a political variety show.

“I have toured in the past but not as much as I should done as I’ve been busy with radio and TV, and I’ve done the City Varieties before, but for me it’s doing what comedians should so and play in front of a live audience,” says Rory.

“It’s more of a variety show but this one is with Ian Shaw who a brilliant jazz singer and pianist which brings the musical angle to the show, and we’ve got Zoe Lyons or Jo Caulfield to do some stand up.

“Being on tour is great as you can write a lot more and change the show from night to night. Anyone who has seen Bremner, Bird and Fortune, and hasn’t had a chance to see me live can hear some comedy about what is going on that day or that week.”

For Bremner it’s a great time to be on the road as the country seems to be going to hell in a handcart led a by a double headed government that seems to be without any sort of clue what to do.

“The world is crazy at the moment, and the wheels came out of the government about three or four weeks ago. I think over the last year people have been adjusting to a new government and the same thing happened to Blair. To some extent I was thinking what are they going to do now, and then I realised that’s what Tony Blair was thinking – the same thing happened to Obama.

“It’s even more complicated because we have a coalition which by definition is slightly more nuanced, subtle and middle of the road. It’s rather like what Clinton says about the American elections that could apply to the election two years ago. Clinton said: ‘the people have spoken, but we just don’t what they said.’

But at heart this is a topical show with Bremer keeping a keen eye on the news which means every show will be a showcase for his uncanny vocal impressions and the mannerisms of our leaders. The government’s botched relaunch is an irresistible target for a satirist up there with The Daily Show’s Jon Stewart.

“We ended up with this sort of mish mass which they relaunched recently which was hilarious it was like reforming a boy band or like two X Factor performers who didn’t make to the final boot camp or the live show. Simon Cowell stuck them together and handed them over to Louis Walsh, and they emerged as Cameron and Clegg in Two Directions.

“It was like they were renewing their vows going from a rose garden to tractor factory in Basildon, and there is something inherently comic about it. The comedy begins to emerge when they are slightly busted and they try to pretend they are something they are not.”

Bremner hasn’t been on the box much recently focusing on is radio career but he how he is managing with the three new boys – Callmedave, Ed and Calamity Clegg?

“I always say about Clegg that trying to do an impression of Nick Clegg is pretty difficult when Clegg isn’t doing a very good impression of himself. I’ll start doing Nick Clegg when he starts doing Nick Clegg.

“My Miliband is coming along, and I think he sounds like Tony Blair eating an apple. Ed is a work in progress and Cameron is coming along so this tour will allow me to develop them both.

“I just try to make sense of what is going on and then make nonsense of it. At the moment it is a bit like going up an escalator going in the opposite direction as things are happening very fast.”

Only Mike Yarwood has ever been this good and he crashed and burned because he never moved beyond the safety of Denis Healey and Cloughie. Bremner has never stood still always seeking new voices, but his Leeds audience can expect some of the old favourites.

“Blunkett still make me laugh with that mean streak that he had, like ‘don’t pat the dog, he’ll have your fucking head off.’ Mandela I enjoyed doing, Clinton I always enjoyed, but I never really liked being Tony Blair.

“I think it is the ones that you can sum up in one work or a phrase. Michael Howard is one with ‘I’m not going to hurt you.’ That really captures something and as a comedian it just goes boom when you find that.”

* Rory Bremner plays Leeds City Varieties, 28 May. Tickets on 0113 243 0808.