Bill Bailey ; Tinselworm review - Bournemouth International Centre - 20th November

There aren’t many things in life which can make your face hurt without any physical contact with somebody however Bill Bailey’s latest sell out tour – Tinselworm – had me rubbing my face in an attempt to try and make it feel better after an intensive grinning session.

Unlike other comedians who waltz around on an empty set and talk, Bailey’s talents with music mean there are two organs, a guitar and a large gong present onstage. The act is made up of all new material and new songs to match including a song for emos the Friends theme tune and getting the crowd chanting; “Hey ASDA! I ain’t gonna be your bitch!” As Bill thinks that Wal-Mart are an evil American organisation.

He is often heard to remark how he over analysis’s everything in life and goes into great detail about very bizarre and different things such as “Beckham playing in America is like Einstein entering a pub quiz or Hitler turning up at the BNP in Tiverton.” He also converses into how time doesn’t exist and clearly lets his mind unfold leaving the audience to wonder what is going on but at the same time find it incredibly funny.

That point leads me onto another thing which makes him a great comedian – everything he does seems so unplanned and natural. He has done this act many times before his appearance in the BIC but it all seemed to be spontaneous banter but with a clear structure you could follow from beginning to end. It also included a video toward the end showing Bill acting out the unusual routines he mentions and how they affect him in everyday life.

Unfortunately the tour has finished in the UK but there is some good clips of it on YouTube and ultimately there will be a DVD which I would recommend – but be warned, your face will be worse off for it and be sure to have the Tena Lady handy for a two hour onslaught of laughter.

Film Premiere Highlights Teenage Pressures

Young adults who have been working hard all summer to produce short films about peer pressure were able to see them on screen as they premiered on Saturday (3rd November). Pier Pressure was created by young people in a bid to boost understanding of the problems teenagers can get into in a seaside resort. It also set out to show how teens are misrepresented and how they are stereotyped.

The themes of the pieces which were helped into production by White Lantern Films included Reality Knocks, a story about racism within a relationship and the community; Some Days are Bad, showing how peer pressure can affect an individual within a group of so called friends and finally Chips which highlighted the affects of alcohol and how we should be responsible for the safety of others in modern society.

The films also gained support from celebrities such as former Steps band member Lee Latchford Evans who made an appearance in Reality Knocks. Lee who used to talk to teens about the pressures of fame said “I didn’t realise how involved I was getting, it started off that I was presenting the premiere and soon I was asked to be in one of the films.” Lee continued to say how impressed he had been with the efforts that went in during production and told us how important these issues are, “I was bullied as a child so I know what it’s like, the films are realistic and these things do happen. I think you should be able to do what we want and be mature about it.” Lee’s current band The Latch also performed during the after show party “I’ve been in this band for three years and want it to be my life as I get to work with lots of different people.”

Other notable personal who attended the premiere included Shabnam Paryani who appeared in the latest series of Big Brother, “It is important to speak your mind” she said, “People who force you into things don’t care about you and they just want to have a good time.” Paryani continued to say how passionate she was that these issues be made public and how she had first hand experience of peer pressure at home.

The music used within the film was written by Bournemouth local, Michael Ricketts. “I took inspiration from the kids and wrote one song for each film. I feel everyone is affected by peer pressure and it is important to highlight it.”

British Touring Car racer Tom Chilton also made a guest appearance in one of the films, “I play the rapist’s mate in Chips. I got called up to take part for a good cause and am in it for five seconds.” Chilton also spoke about how he dealt with the acting, “I have never acted before. I’m the clown so I found it out of character.”

Although the night had been promoted by these familiar names it was ultimately about the young people, who had acted, directed and written the pieces. Tristram Anyian was forced out of his home by his parents after being pressured into religion and had been living in the YMCA. “I was asked to get involved with the directing and have been overwhelmed by the experience and getting to meet new people. I hope to go to Bournemouth University and maybe then work for the BBC in film production.” Anyian commented on how difficult yet rewarding the filming had been, “We were filming on set for three days between five and seven hours a day. When watching it my heart was pumping but I am proud of our film, I would really like to get involved again next year.”

The teens enjoyed an award ceremony after the films had been shown with Lee Latchford Evans accompanying the mayor of Bournemouth in handing out the prizes and the night continued with music from The Latch and then music from local radio station – Fire FM.

Wallywock on a Trolleybus

Sixty-seven year old Derek Riggs is known as a Wallywock because he was born and lived in Wallisdown. He has fond memories from when he used to travel by trolleybus. “The main depot was in Moordown where I used to get on the bus for a penny and it would take us all to school.”
The electric buses were a big part in how many children used to travel around Bournemouth in the post-war years before they were phased out in favour of more mobile petrol buses.
“On frosty winter mornings myself and schoolmates used to see the sparks coming from the rails and in the summer the number 26 would take us to the beach.”
“When they wanted to change line the conductor would have to get off and use a pole to move the bus from one track to the other, occasionally he would have dropped a clanger!”
Derek believes that the 1930s were “certainly the best time for childhood. Cars were rare so children could play cricket and football in the streets.”
“You simply can’t wander about like you used to. You can’t leave your door open.”
“Since the building of the university the town has changed and I no longer go to the centre during nighttimes due to rising crime.”
Family is something Derek feels has helped rising crime levels during his lifetime with nowadays both mother and father out working children don’t have such a strong relationship with their parents as he remembers how his mother used to stay at home looking after him and the house whilst his father went out to work.

Life in the Day of Lewis Clarke

It’s always a struggle to get me out of bed and it’s usually down to my mum to drag the duvet away and force me out. Breakfast is ready by the time I make it downstairs still half asleep and rushing to eat it before the bus arrives at 7:30am so it’s not uncommon to see me sprint to the bus stop. I needn’t bothered to waste my energy running because as normal the bus fails to turn up on time and we’re left waiting in the cold until it eventually turns up late. The bus journey lasts an hour from Tiverton in Devon and across the county border to Taunton in Somerset arriving at Richard Huish College at 8:45am. Fortunately I hadn’t fallen asleep this morning and the pesky lower sixth students haven’t left me at the back to be awoken by the driver. First lesson is drama; one of my favourites. All the drama students get along so well and each brings their own character to the lesson, although pressure is mounting to get an assessed production piece ready to show to an audience and extra work will have to be done during a long arduous weekend rehearsal. Next on the agenda is history which I find tedious. I have no idea who anyone in the class is this year. They already seem to know each other very well making me feel quite isolated so I’m glad when it’s over and English language begins. It’s always difficult to stay on topic during a conversation in these lessons, one minute you may be talking about the first dictionary by Samuel Johnson and then the next moment conversation has moved onto the colour scheme of the teachers tie! Lunchtime arrives and gives me time to circulate the college to see the different people I know as they all meet in varied areas of the campus. Lunch consists of something I put in my bag the previous evening, it’s usually something I shouldn’t eat but after a hard day at college it’s nice to treat myself. I don’t drink hot drinks, no coffee, tea or hot chocolate so my choice of drink is a Cherry Cola, and no diet drinks under any circumstances! Finally after a long day my last lesson is geography where we learn about rocks and oil, it’s not terribly entertaining but some of it can be quite thought provoking. 4:30pm soon arrives and it’s another bus journey home but the bus doesn’t go to where I and many others want it to. The nearest stop is 7 miles from where all the Tiverton students live so we all have to get off their and hope that parents will come to collect us. Everyone likes a good moan about why we can’t have transport going back to Tiverton but all the talk never amounts to anything. Driving home my mum has it on BBC Radio Two and I can’t help to find the travel jingle slightly catchy, I don’t know why but I do have many theme tunes stored on my computer, but I guess it’s because I’m unique! There are just three of us when I get home again at 5pm, my sister, myself and my mum because dad is usually away working, but of course most attention in the house goes to the four cats that are never far away. It was a bit of a mistake having four as the mother had an unplanned pregnancy which my mum was a little surprised about (she was only one!). At 7pm I have rehearsals for a show in Tiverton with a local operatic club, this year we’re doing ‘Around the World in 80 Days’. Just like the past 7 years I’ve been given the comedy role, but I can’t complain as I enjoy overacting and having fun on a stage! Rehearsals are busy with singing, dancing and lines to be learnt within a sixth months. The rehearsal tonight ended at 9pm. When I’m about to go to bed there’s always somebody online wanting a chat and before I know it it’s 2am I always get into bed at the top of the hour and fall asleep listening to the BBC World Service. I just hope my mum manages to wake me up for another early start tomorrow.