Interview: Andy Hamilton

He said: "It is not a stand-up show in the traditional sense. I was never attracted to stand-up. 

"It always seemed like too much hard work. When I was starting out it was not a pleasant thing to do, it was all small smoky pubs and gruelling schedules. I did not have the guts.

"This current show has elements of stand-up, but it is much more personal, with plenty of audience participation."

The idea of working with his audience gave Hamilton the inspiration for the title of his show, which he will perform on July 5 at Greenwich Theatre.

He said: "A hat is passed round and the audience randomly pick out a topic for me to discuss.

"There are generally about 15 topics in the hat and in a normal show we can do seven or eight.

"Also during the interval the audience get the chance to write questions on a piece of paper which they leave on the stage. That's when the real element of mystery, and hopefully not doom, kicks in."

The random nature of Hamilton's performence, derived from the audience's involvement means he can present a fresh show each time he performs.

He said: "The show has many elements to it. It can be topical and satirical, it can contain jokes about people in the public eye, anecdotes, stories and even a bit of celebrity gossip.

"Until the evening begins you just can't tell what the show will be about."
Hamilton's career began in the mid-'70s while he was studying at Cambridge..

He said: "The Cambridge Light Entertainment Society was principally a charitable organisation, we would do shows for hospitals, retirement homes and a few commercial gigs to raise money.

"Because of some of the positive reviews we had we were able to take the show to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. It was there in 1976 that a producer, Geoff Perkins, suggested I started submitting sketches and the like to radio shows.

"I then became a regular contributor to Radio Four'sWeek Ending, and I have been fortunate enough to work consistently in radio ever since.  It is a fantastic medium, you are allowed so much freedom."

Hamilton's television career began with writing sketches for the likes of Les Dawson and the Two Ronnies, and in 1979 he became involved in the writing of Not The Nine O'Clock News.

Hamilton first teamed up with a fellow writer Guy Jenkin in the '80s, and in the following decade they would combine to create, and produce his best known work, Drop The Dead Donkey, a topical satire set in a fictional newsroom.

The show would prove an unusual experience for both the cast and the writers.

Hamilton said: "The episodes were gradually written over a period of months, however, we would leave huge gaps in the scripts which we would fill in at the last minute with topical themes and gags.

"This mixture gave the show a certain improvised element, it threw the actors in the deep end at the last minute. 

"They were constantly fighting with uncertainty."

Andy is even willing to reveal that discussions of the shows return, after its finale nearly 11 years ago, are quite often talked about. 

Andy, however, remains doubtful it would happen, he said: "The idea has been aired, and we are still a close bunch and our paths cross all the time.  

"But to bring it back would not work. 

"The joke was that the station was taking bad news and moving it to a banal level. 

"That no longer works, you cannot out do Fox News with Fox News

"Drop The Dead Donkey ran for nine and a half years. It was a fantastic experience, we had a collection of great writers and a phenomenal cast."

Over the past few years Andy has made a name, and a face, for himself as a regular panelist on the likes of shows such as Have I Got News For You and QI. 

He said: "Panel shows are so enjoyable, some people find them to be a bear pit, but I like the format and the freedom, and they are of course mostly improvised. 

"When it comes to Have I Got news For You, you obviously know what the week's news is, and therefore you have a fair idea of what's going to come up and you would be stupid to go in to the studio completely unprepared. 

"But there are no rehearsals, we just go in and do the show.

"We never know really where the show is going to go. It is a bit like jazz in a way, we just start riffing off of each other. The best part about it is that it just feels like a conversation down the pub with your mates.

"A recording of Have I Got News For You generally lasts about one and half hours, so only about one third of it is ever actually aired. 

"That must be such a hard editorial process, but they seem to get most of the best out of it."

Hamilton is currently involved in many projects for television and radio.

He said:  "I have a new radio show called It's Only A Series due to be aired on Radio Four. I'm not sure when exactly, but soon.

"It is a show I have done in collaboration with Reginald D Hunter. The premise is that we invite into the studio scientists, academics, historians and so on, and we test their theories or subjects.

"Basically it is people who know what they are talking about being cross examined by idiots." 

Greenwich Theatre, July 5, 7.30pm, £17.50, 020 8858 7755, greenwichtheatre.org.uk, DLR: Greenwich

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