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Nic Hubbard gets down to the
bare bones with Armstrong & Miller
 You study physics at Cambridge
University. You do well. You start a PhD. What happens next?
Well, if you're Ben Miller, one half of irreverent and surreal
comedy duo Armstrong and Miller, you regularly get your kit
off in front of millions of people in the name of
entertainment. After several successful series on Channel 4,
the boys with brains are due to take the world by storm, by
bringing their television show to the stage.
Ben cites the thriving live
scene at university as a major influence on his decision to
scrap science for comedy: "I think it's about the
culture, you know. You get there, and the comedy club
Footlights is very popular. All the students go, it's packed
out, it's great fun. It gets you into the excitement of
performing in front of a large number of people, because the
comedy club there is so popular."
Following the Monty Python crew
and assorted luvvies out of Cambridge is a tough job, but
don't expect Fry and Laurie style japes from Ben or his
partner in parody, Alexander Armstrong. Their brand of humour
is definitely more Bottom than Branagh, and all the better for
it. For those who were already devotees of the Channel 4 show,
there will be a few new characters, as well as a staple diet
of older cast members. For the uninitiated, expect a
collection of bizarre personalities and side-splitting
strangeness. Characters making an appearance on both screen
and stage include Striyka, mullet-headed gods of Eurorock, the
Inspiring Teacher, and Jack Force, the disturbed inspector
with his imaginary train driver friend Chuffy. "All those
favourites will be doing new material, all new, "
promises Ben. "Lots of new sketches, lots and lots of new
material and lots of old favourites as well. We wanted a real
mix of both."
This is the first time that the
Armstrong and Miller experience has been on tour, and Ben
doesn't mind admitting to a few butterflies: "We're both
nervous, we've got that nervous excitement like when you're
about to take you're driving test. You know your highway code
and you've practised your three point turns and reversing
round the corner. You know you can do it, given the right
conditions, but nevertheless, you've got to sit the exam. You
just want to do well."
Coming out from behind the
safety of the small screen to stare your audience in the eye
has to be a traumatic experience for anyone. How does it feel
being seen as newcomers, even though you're veterans in TV
terms? "We've been on telly for quite a bit, yeah. It
started as a live act, and that's how we got the TV show. I
think that people now know us as a TV act, they don't know our
live stuff. We want to put the record straight, do you know
what I mean? Go out and show what we can do. And we've racked
up all this material, we just really would love the chance to
go out and do it, to go and perform in front of people."
So what's the main difference
between stage and screen, from a performer's point of view?
"Live is you can actually judge an audience. It's a bit
more interactive and a bit more spontaneous," explains
Ben. "I suppose it's more nerve wracking, doing it live
in front of people, but in terms of your actual material, you
can at least change it the next night if it doesn't
work," he laughs.
Speaking of nerves, for anyone
who has seen their TV series, one question has to be asked
about the live show: will the vets who practice without pants
be making an appearance? "I think we're going to do Nude
Practice," states Ben, "yeah, I think we will."
So what inspires a pair of
grown men to bare all in front of so many people? Is it
something that stems from their childhood? "I'm really
happy with it on TV," Ben explains. "I'm slightly
more nervous about doing it in front of mums and dads and
grannies. The thing about TV is you don't know who's watching,
but with live stuff you really know who's watching."
Including Ben's girlfriend. But
she must have seen it all before? "It's something she
hasn't seen everyone else seeing before," Ben grimaces.
So there you have it. Guaranteed nudity and a good long laugh
- where else would you get that on a night out, eh?
Armstrong & Miller, Nov
18, Theatre Royal, 01273 328488.
copyright New Insight 2000
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