Comedian/Poet plays An Lanntair

He’s playing Stornoway where he is appearing as his word-slinging alter ego Porky the Poet, bringing a brand new hour of poetry and chat to the An Lanntair arts centre.

It was way back in 1984 that Phill first introduced Porky the Poet to the masses.

Who knew that reciting poems based on real life expereinces would be so popular?

And popular it was.

He took the bold step to quit working in a Job Centre to become a fully fledged ranting poet, quickly rising to prominence supporting such bands as The Style Council and The Housemartins.

In the evenings Phill’s poetry and compering became so successful, he would also finsd himself hitting the road with such luminaries as Madness, The Who and Paul Weller.

More than three decades later and the poems of Porky are still proving to be popular, with many sell out shows as part of 2017’s tour.

This year his pencil is sharpened in the direction of religion, dieting, politics, hate, hipsters, love, parenthood, sex, punk legends The Clash, baseball, death, Michael Gove and a slew of other very vital matters will all be up for discussion.

With new work premiered at every show, each gig is set to be unique and who know how the material will go down with the audience?

Phill said: “Every night will be like opening night on this tour. I won’t know before hand if something will work or not.

“I guess that’s the thrill of it. And it will be great for the audience not to know what is coming.

It will be a surprise for everyone on the night...A good or bad surprise, well, that remains to be seen!” he added.

And Phill is looking forward to playing places that he has never been before.

“I’ve been touring around a lot of places this year that I’ve never played before, and I quite like the effect that it has on your work,” he said.

“It’s like starting again.”

Phill first became a familiar face on television as team captain on BBC2’s pop quiz Never Mind The Buzzcocks in 1996, which went on to run for 19 years.

Aside from Never Mind the Buzzcocks and live stand up shows all over the UK, he also appears as a regular guest on QI on BBC2 and Alan Davies As yet Untitled on Dave, and in 2012 returned to television stand-up for the first time since 2000 with an appearance on Live at the Apollo for BBC1.

On BBC Radio 4 Phill is a regular panellist of the award winning I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue and The Unbelievable Truth and was resident curator on The Museum of Curiosity.

In addition, he has presented numerous radio documentaries including, Phill Jupitus’ Comic Strips, Calvin and Hobbes and The Man Who Bought Hendrix’s Stage, and was the breakfast DJ on BBC Radio 6 Music from 2002 until March 30, 2007.

n the Autumn of 2009 Phill graced the West End stage in the hit musical Hairspray playing Edna Turnblad receiving critical acclaim for his performance.

The summer of 2010 saw the release of Phill’s book Good Morning Nantwich – Adventures In Breakfast Radio where not only does Phill discover the answer but finds out what really makes the listening nation tick first thing in the morning.

As an actor he has toured the UK and Ireland with the musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in 2016 starring as Baron Bomburst/Lord Scrumptious and played Bottom in the Bath Theatre Royal production of A Midsummer’s Night Dream in August.

His other theatre work includes appearing alongside Jason Manford in the UK touring production of The Producers as Franz Liebkind.

But it’s stand up comedy that Phill is perhaps best known and best loved for.

So come along and watch in delight and/or horror as this experienced funnyman smashes laugh after laugh out of the chaos of his own life and the uncertain world that surrounds it.

With the world in such disarray, we all need a good laugh don’t we?

“If I can make people laugh and help them forget their cares for a few hours, then my work is done!” Phill said.

· Catch Phill Jupitus when he plays An Lanntair Arts Centre on Thursday, July 27. Show starts 8pm, Doors open 7.30pm.

For tickets and further inofrmation, visit www.lanntair.com/.