“It is more difficult to make the transition from actor to comedian than the other way round.” Discuss.
Such was the popular enthusiasm and critical acclaim for Gavin and Stacey that someone at the BBC had the bright idea of inviting its male stars, Mathew Horne and James Corden, to write and perform their own sketch show. After all, anyone can churn out a sketch show, can’t they?
Watching Horne and Corden is a particularly disorientating experience because although it looks like a comedy show, and everyone involved behaves as if they are in a comedy show, there isn’t any comedy in it. None that I could identify anyway. The greatest fault lies in the writing, which is awful.
Most of the sketches were based upon the assumption that being a fat or gay man is inherently hilarious, prompting much undressing and camping around. Others, such as the army chiefs of staff trying to find a compatible mobile phone charger, were totally baffling. The few that showed a modicum of comic promise were allowed to meander on endlessly with neither focus or direction, stretching into oblivion whatever trace elements of humour may have originally existed.
Horne and Corden are clearly accomplished comic actors, but they are just not comedians and introducing themselves as such at the beginning of the show misfired badly. Of the two, Corden has at least scraped together the beginnings of a comic persona, but poor Horne has none whatsoever and is condemned to the thankless and largely characterless role of straight man. As the hyperactive overweight one ran screaming around his bland, skinny companion, I was reminded of Little and Large, but not in a good way.
However all things are relative. Compared to the Two Pints/Grown Ups/Coming of Age Red Nose Day Special, the Horne And Corden show was all 12 episodes of Fawlty Towers rolled into one.
Having crammed the casts of all three programmes onto one small set, leaving them with little to do except stand awkwardly around like infants at a Christmas concert, the show proceeded to unleash a barrage of the lamest jokes ever be to inflicted in the name of charity.
In a good cause? Certainly. Terrible? Definitely. But then my opinion is poisoned by an abiding aversion to Coming Of Age. Working to combat poverty, suffering and injustice is all well and good, but if Comic Relief promised to eradicate Coming Of Age I would really put my hand in my pocket.
Continuing the twin themes of Comic Relief and my personal prejudices, Chris Moyles was one of the hardy celebrities that raised shed loads of money taking on The Big Red Nose Climb up Mount Kilimanjaro. That Moyles reached the summit was surprising enough, but that he proved such good fun and amiable company en route was nothing less than shocking. He proved generous, encouraging, supportive and resilient. Plus, he did a very fine Gary Barlow impersonation.
I am attributing Moyles’ radical improvement in personality to the effects of the altitude on his brain. It is either that or start liking the man, and allow a fundamental tenet of my belief system to collapse entirely.
PROGRAMME DETAILS
Horne and Corden BBC3, Tuesday, March 10, 10pm
Two Pints/Grown Ups/Coming of Age Red Nose Day Special BBC3, Sunday, March 8, 9pm
The Big Red Nose Day Climb BBC1, Thursday, March 12, 8pm
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