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Mark Thomas - Dambusters: Tales of Dissent
Venues - touring Scotland, England and Wales until 5 Dec dates
at end of review
Reviewer - Daniel Winterstein
Venue - Queen's Hall
Reviewer - Daniel Winterstein
An intense mix of facts, real stories and comedy
Good comedians are usually described with terms such as "hilarious", "side-splittingly
good", "I literally laughed my head off", etc. All of which apply to Mark
Thomas, but then so do "moving" and "heartfelt". You don't usually hear
that said about a stand-up comic, but then this isn't a normal stand-up
show. Thomas is as much a political activist as a comedian, and he delivers
an intense mix of facts, real stories and comedy that is reminiscent of
no-one else.
The focus of the show is the Ilisu dam - a despicable British government
backed project in Turkey - and efforts to stop it. This provides a wealth
of material that is unconventional to say the least rape, torture, murder,
western hypocrisy. He also has a few things to say on the subject of our
just wars.
Thomas has an easy manner and also takes the piss out of left wing groups
- "Friends of the Earth are furious. They're tutting and some of them
are holding candles." - and especially himself. He soon has the audience
in the palm of his hand. Compared to his TV series, he is cruder e.g.
comparing the USA's promise to protect the Iraqi Kurds, to when a big
man in prison says `You gonna be my wife', funnier and more emotional
live. At over two hours it's a long show, but never dull. The energy by
the end is incredible. People cried.
© Daniel Winterstein 24 October 2001
Contains strong facts which many people may find upsetting.
UK Tour dates 2001
24 Oct Edinburgh at Queens Hall 0131 668 2019
25 Oct Cheltenham at Pillar Room 01242 227979
29 Oct Cambridge Arts Theatre 01223 503333
30 Oct Belfast Elmwood Hall 028 9066 5577
31 Oct Leicester Phoenix Theatre 01162 554854
November
1 Nov Newbury Corn Exchange 01635 522733
6 & 7 Nov The Tron Glasgow 0141 552 4267
8 Nov South Sheilds Customs House 0191 454 1234
12 Nov Derby Memorial Hall 01332 255800
13 Nov King's Lynn Arts Centre 01553 764864
14 Nov Brighton Gardner Arts Centre 01273 685861
15 Nov Redhill Harlequin Theatre 01737 765547
19 & 20 Nov ;Manchester Comedy Store 08705 932932
21 Nov Swindon Wyvern Theatre 01793 524481
22 Nov Harrow Arts Centre 0208 428 0124
26 &27 Nov Southsea Wedgwood Rooms 01705 863911
28 Nov Manchester Dancehouse 0161 237 9753
29 Nov Cardiff Sherman Theatre 02920 646900
Dec
3 Dec Spalding South Holland Centre 01775 725031
4 & 5 Dec Coventry Warwick Arts Centre 024 7652 4524
Tour Ends
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