Bloodstock, Camden, Kirkcaldy - Socks do variety

After a quiet month for the Socks, we crammed quite the variety of gigs into a week, giving ourselves a mini Edinburgh Fringe experience to boot.

Last Saturday saw the Socks playing the New Blood stage at Bloodstock, a Heavy Metal festival in Derbyshire. And very heavy metal it is too, the sort where the vocalists scream constantly and the guitars don't stop for breath. Quite how comedy was going to go down there was hard to predict. But what do you know, being the middle of three acts, doing just 20 minutes, we went down brilliantly.

We gave them I'm A Sock, Halloween, Michael Jackson, Walk On The Wild Side and Sweary Poppins, all self-teched by me from my ipod taped to the set, and that was twenty minutes flown by in a blink. Smashing crowd.

The on Wednesday and Thursday the Socks played The Bill Murray pub as part of The Camden Fringe (thanks to Louisa Gummer for the photo). Advance sales were slow, though I have to say I enjoyed having the Red61 ticket sales to check every day, giving me a small taste of the Edinburgh experience that we're missing this year. When it came to it though, Wednesday had about 30 in, and Thursday looked dangerously close to a sellout (the room only holds 50). At time of writing I only know the advance sales and can't see the door sales, but they were both cracking gigs, getting us a 4 star review and being a perfect end to the Socks Do Shakespeare spring tour.

Then on Friday it was off to Kirkcaldy. A booking that I'd agreed to, initially hoping I'd surround it with classes in libraries up there and maybe make a week of it, it ended up with me flying, hiring a car, and staying over in a B&B, all to play a 10 minute slot (shortest slot of the year I think) in a variety show. So not a very profitable gig, but an enjoyable one.

And an interesting one. A young magician called Liam Black had organised it, and put together quite the most diverse bill I've ever been on. The Socks followed a childrens Pipe Band. Liam himself did fifty-year-old gags, some of which hadn't gone through a 21st century filter but the audience seemed to like them, and he did a lot of trad magic tricks, which again the coothy audience warmed to. There was a mind reader, a singer from a kids show called The Singing Kettle which I hadn't heard of but which was apparently massive in Scotland back in the day, and there was Dean Park, who's been in panto for 40 years and who tells The Comedians style of 1960s jokes (luckily racism free) in a cracking professional style, opening and closing with a cheesy song.

My favourite act was stand up David Kay, an actual circuit comic with a unique dry style which only some of the audience got, and with whom I went for a drink afterwards, learning a lot about the working of Scottish TV comedy (he;s had a few TV things, including a sitcom pilot made by the Absolutely guys). 

To round off my whistle stop Scottish tour, I made it into Edinburgh on Saturday morning before anyone was awake (well, from 10 - 11.30, so before any comedians were up) and got to feel a tiny bit of the Edinburgh vibe I've been missing. I smelled the Edinburgh smell! Also revisited our haunts of Bristo Square, seeing its remodelled look, Worlds End Close where we've stayed for two years, up the Royal Mile, down the Mound, past the Assembly Rooms, through Princes St Gardens, up The Vennel where we stayed two years ago, and away. And do you know what, I felt almost like I'd done Edinburgh, without having to form out six thousand quid for the privilege.

In the airport I started writing ideas, and even some bad gags, for what might turn out to be next year's show. I'm starting with Art as the subject, but that could change (art was to be the subject for 2015's show, before it morphed into Minging Detectives, so anything could happen). Best gag so far? "I discovered I could do modern art when I was tracing maps of the Middle East. I couldn’t do a trace of Beirut, I couldn’t do a trace of Egypt, but I could do a good Trace o’Yemen." So, a lot of work to do yet, eh.

The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre do a tiny bit more Shakespeare in Halifax, Wolverhampton, Nottingham and Goole this autumn, returning with a brand new show in 2018. Stay tuned.

★★★★ "In hysterics from start to finish" - Views From The Gods

A fab ★★★★ 4 star review of Socks Do Shakespeare at the Camden Fringe from Views From The Gods.

Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre Do Shakespeare needs no introduction - not least because the name explains what the show is about pretty damn well. A concept need not be intricate and lofty (nor particularly sane, for that matter) in order to be successful. Behold Kev F Sutherland, the man who dared put silly eyes on the ends of socks, give them ridiculous voices, dress them up in snazzy outfits and have them celebrate the Immortal Bard.

It seems that everything was thought of. The crowd was engaged even before the show started, with recorded falsetto sock puppet songs playing to warm them up. The buzz of anticipation that it created was tangible - they knew they were in for a good show.

And so it began. Two socks. After a warm-up song introducing our two performers, the pair launch - or try to launch - into the subject matter, only to have it descend repeatedly into arguments and misunderstandings. At once a tribute to the Sweet Swan of Avon and a musical, this show is a laugh a minute - or, to be more precise, a laugh every seven or eight seconds. That's as much as I'm prepared to say of the plot (hint: go and see it).

Did a couple of minor things go wrong? Maybe. If they weren't meant to happen then Sutherland recovered from them brilliantly, and they got a big laugh - so none of it mattered. There may not be any such thing as a perfect show, but keep it moving and the audience on your side, and you've won. The production - even though it was two Scottish sock puppets with high voices doing old theatre, in case you had somehow forgotten – also managed to be relevant to the world around it, with references to the location and a quick-thinking nod to current affairs. All of this serves to bring the piece alive just that little bit more.

What's more, despite crouching behind a screen in a very narrow space, Sutherland managed to bounce off the audience as if he could see them. They responded by remaining in hysterics from start to finish; indeed, one spectator behind me sounded like they were taking off at one point.

Whilst the main point of it is obviously Shakespeare, I hasten to add that this is definitely not just for connoisseurs - far from it, in fact the range of works covered ensures that everyone can relate. It certainly helped to have some well-read spectators there, but a smattering of Blur and some of Taylor Swift's earlier works will put you in just as good stead to enjoy it all. And if all else fails, it's two ridiculous sock puppets with silly voices, for goodness' sake.

In staging this, Sutherland set a considerable challenge with a high bar – don't be fooled, as sock puppetry is no child's play. Especially not when they're also falsetto, and doing Shakespeare. Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre Do Shakespeare is equal parts reverent (to the Bard, who no doubt is grateful of the publicity), and irreverent (to miserable puritans who misguidedly believe that argumentative Scottish sock puppets have no place in historical theatre).

Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre Do Shakespeare opened on 16th August and runs until 17th August 2017 at The Bill Murray, as part of the Camden Fringe.

Socks Do Shakespeare at The Camden Fringe, August 16 & 17

Nativity line art complete

It's a joy to have had a few days sat at my desk pencilling and inking some artwork old-style, which next week I'll get to colour. I wrote the whole thing, that is to say my 16 page humourous adaptation of The Nativity, last month.

This has been a perfect bit of timing, keeping me busy with desk work during August when normally I'd be up in Edinburgh. As a result, I'll ending up earning more this month than if I'd put an Edinburgh show on. But don't let me hear me say that, you'll put me off going back next year, which remains the plan.



As always, I've come up with some great gags I'm really pleased with in this adaptation for Bible Society, and am so pleased they've kept asking me to do them. I'm enjoying the development of the character of Herod, who I'm now doing for the second time, having created him for last year's Feeding Of The 5000.

Kev F Sutherland, as well as writing and drawing for The Beano, Marvel, Doctor Who et al, runs Comic Art Masterclasses in schools, libraries and art centres - email for details, and follow him on Facebook and Twitter. View the promo video

Columnist? The mystery Private Eye cartoon

On August 11th I posted a question. Even I was surprised by the replies.

Am I being really dense? There's a cartoon in this week's Private Eye and I don't get it. He's got a pencil behind his ear and three ornate columns in his pocket. No caption. Am I going to feel really stupid when someone explains this to me?

Stephen White Nope...got me.

Kevin Lyons Is a portrait of a 'columnist'?

Chris Okse Oxenbury Load of ariss

Jamie Neil Doric, Ionic & Corinthian...still nope!

Edward Knight Unless they're chameleon, comedian, Corinthian and he's a caricaturist, hence the pencil. ;)

Kev Sutherland Brilliant! I used to use that line (from Bowie's Bewlay Brothers, fact fans) in my stand up routine. I was the only person who ever got it.

Kev Sutherland I thought it might be a 'columnist' gag, but then it doesn't look like what you imagine a columnist to look like. Looks more like a designer to me.

Andrew Ness  I was thinking some sort of workman, with the pencil for his estimates?

Paul Savage It's that he's got a column in his pocket an he's pleased to see you... (I got nothing)

John B Wilkinson Architect, deciding which order to use? Not terribly amusing yet.

Tim Bateman Architect was my thought.

Kate Lennard Funny, I was staring at that for ages this morning thinking the same thing. But the 'Columnist' solution makes me really like it. Maybe they forgot to put in the title?

Johnny Nigma He looks like a fine upstanding pillar of the community who has now decided to pocket it away! :-O

Brian Damage Maybe it's an ad? http://www.instructables.com/id/Ear-Pencil-Holder/

Alistair Robb Private Eye hasn't had anything approaching humorous in decades.

Guy Venables now now

David Leach I beg to differ. They published one of my gags, what the great Will Dawbarn drew.

Dave Kendall I prefer Cow Tools. (Attached Gary Larson cartoon)

David Leach Saul Steinberg would smile at that one.

Will Dawbarn I prefer single column cartoons.

Ewen Macintosh I want to know if someone works it out so I'm just commenting for the notifications

Billy Rumbold ^^^^ I'm with him

Mat Troy Me too

Richmond Clements Ditto.

Simon Thorp If you were doing a "columnist" joke, surely he'd be carving one out of a big block of marble and someone would be saying "I saw your latest column" or something. I've not really thought about it very hard.

Maria Burns  These may be his other pencils in his pocket. Still no why. Is there a context ?

Kev Sutherland Thanks to Guy for actually asking Nathan Ariss himself. Waiting with bated breath now. (This referred to someone tagging Nathan Ariss in the post, though that tag subsequently disappeared)

Irene Shettle Having read through all the postings to this point I was wondering if anybody had considered asking. (Embarassing though?)

Stephen White Me too...I like to think I'm pretty good at getting this sort of thing, but I'm stumped.

Melanie Gibson I don't get it. Thought architect, then got confused...

Andrew Dodd Technical drawing, technical pencil, architects

Wes Packer Are they just really fancy pen tops?

Nick Xylas I'm wondering whether there *is* a caption, but it somehow didn't get printed.

Barry Hutchison Beats me, but I want to know!

Jim Scott Doric, Ionic and Corinthian.

Will Dawbarn Oh, the iony.

Maria Burns But why?

Jim Scott He's a Third Columnist.

Rik Edwards  Hislop signalling he wants more obscure jokes?

Richard Fitchett I looked at it and I looked at it and...

Will Averill Columnist? Maybe?

Wes Packer Three columns in his pocket, is he a Fourth Columnist, maybe?

Will Averill OOoooo...I like it. Like "I'm a columnist!".  It's a dumb joke tho

Red Redmond Columnist.

Russ Swan  If he was in a top hat and smoking a cigar I'd think he must be a capitalist, but he isn't. No help from me, then

Wendy Wason Hmmm. Columnist. 4th estate... tradesman... hmmm

Gordon Rennie Architectural pens - set of three: https://www.amazon.com/Architectural-Column.../dp/B010E46RSK

Stephen White So...it's an anti-ad?!

Simon Spencer Can I be the first to offer Nathan Ariss a hug if he's unfortunate enough to click on his tag? Seriously - this is like clicking on yourself on Goodreads

Tim Read Aren't the columns in his pocket the ends of 3 other pencils which are thus more ornate. Given he has a plain pencil behind his ear, it suggests that this is a simple cartoon. Well, that's my solution :-)

Gordon Rennie Yeah, that's kind of my interpretation. The three unused ornate pens are there for poseur display, and it's the plain pencil behind his ear that actually has a function.

Peter Clack ? 😕

Ade Brown We've got a right one 'ere.

Is the pencil shaped like a fourth column ?

Is it something about how he's got room in his pocket but prefers to keep the working pen out in the cold?

Is it an HB pencil?

David Bradley  Is it a self portrait?

Stephen White It's very obscure, and downright impossible if you haven't seen them, but after looking at Gordon's link, it would appear that he is choosing a simple pencil over the fancy pens.

André Vincent Is it because if he was an architect and he was to close one eye and lift up his pencil, a thing those clever people do, he would know which column to put there???

Ade Brown As the old proverb goes: the pencil is mightier than the c-word.

Nick Miller Write to Ian Hislop and ask him for an explaination. Don't forget to address him as 'sir', as in "Dear Sir Ian".

Mike Phillips  Ad for Hot Pocket Column Heaters: https://www.thermofisher.com/order/catalog/product/92016

Graham Exton There's a Seinfeld episode about this type of thing.

Adam Morris You've caused a 'stir', Nathan Ariss

Louise Fairbairn Looks like they forgot to print the punchline..

Edith Moss Aren't there three 'pillars of democracy'? Something to do with someone having them all in their pocket? :/

Steve Bright Who's for a pillar fight...?

Kev Sutherland I really didn't think I'd trigger such debate, but delighted to find I'm not as dense as I thought. So, most likely option is that a) Nathan's cartoon is riffing on a popular design for pencil tops, which do exist though none of us has ever seen them. Or b) it's a joke about the guy being a columnist. Other brilliant theories, like Andre's architect, and Edith's pillars of democracy, seem no less likely. The mystery continues...

Wait, Gordon's link was pens, not pencils. So that still doesn't work.

Stephen White If I were the artist, I would never tell. Not now anyway!

Andrew Coupe As the cartoon is in the 'Nooks and Corners' section, which is about architecture, I think the joke is that the gentleman depicted is an architectural columnist.

Glenn B Fleming I think the clue is in the signature...

Stuart Hume The three columns seem to be specifically Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian, respectively. The next order would be Composite, which is a type of pencil. Composite pencils were used throughout Europe but not England - until we ran out of graphite. 

   I'm not sure I've ever tendered a more tenuous answer to anything than this, but maybe someone here knows about Greek architectural orders and why/if they might be relevant.

Davey Jones This thread is the most chilling thing I've ever seen on the internet, and I follow Donald Trump on Twitter.

John Jackson i dont get it either

Ian Williams I have often been baffled by Private Eye cartoons in recent times. I thought it was just me. "Here's one for the teenagers- George Arliss - 'Rover, woof woof!'" (Tony Hancock with an impression that was decades out of date when he was doing it. He died in 1968.)😜

Kev Sutherland Oh, Andrew's hit on something - the cartoon IS at the foot of the Nooks & Corners column. So it's a drawing of an architectural columnist! Hooray! Solved it!. *Feels great wave of disappointment*

Eddy Brimson Not sure but Silky must be pleased

Tony Husband The three pillars of wisdom ?

John Elson It's hilarious isn't it......?

Hazel Humphreys I spent ten minutes staring at this cartoon. My best guess was that it was depicting an architect. But if that's the meaning it makes Doonesbury or Fred Bassett look funny in comparison

Andrew Birch  It's a delightful visual joke.

Adam Acidophilus  Is his name Collum? And is that a name?

Sally Ann Hamilton Most entertaining watching the pure bewilderment caused 😂

Then - at long last, on August 15th, this comment came in:

Nathan Ariss Thanks for the comments and I enjoyed reading them all.

Kev Sutherland Hello Nathan! The most perfect conclusion to this thread. And please put us out of our misery. Was it an architectural columnist?

Ewen Macintosh Was anyone close? 😉

At time of writing, Nathan hasn't explained the gag. Thanks everyone for joining in the guessing game.

Kev F Sutherland, as well as writing and drawing for The Beano, Marvel, Doctor Who et al, runs Comic Art Masterclasses in schools, libraries and art centres - email for details, and follow him on Facebook and Twitter. View the promo video

Gooey Disease That Made Us Poop Rainbows - comics by kids

It's the summer holidays, so these classes have all had the extra unpredictability of not knowing who, if anyone, will turn up. Luckily for me they've rolled in for my classes and had the usual fab time. And, while they're at it, come up with some top titles for their comics. These, from the Cartoon Museum in London, are a couple of my favourites.

For the summer schools in Walthamstow, working in different schools in the morning and afternoon, we had fun even though the afternoon class boasted my smallest turnout of the year. Ironically the classes at the Cartoon Museum and Andover (below) were ticketed events and did well, while the Walthamstow classes were free and, in the case of the afternoon session, very nearly rained off. Another odd feature of these comics you see is that they remain 'virtual' comics. Usually I run off an A5 comic on the photocopier for everyone to take away, but in Walthamstow's case we had no access to the school copier, so the kids went home with their caricatures and their art - and they get to win the drawings from the flipchart too - but no comic. I add the colour to these covers when I get home.

And here are the comics by the kids at The Lights arts centre in Andover. Highest price ticket, highest turnout. What can I say?

The celebrities these 6 groups chose to appear in my demonstration strip were Donald Trump (twice), David Walliams, Will I Am, Usain Bolt and, most original of the bunch, Muhammed Ali.

Kev F Sutherland, as well as writing and drawing for The Beano, Marvel, Doctor Who et al, runs Comic Art Masterclasses in schools, libraries and art centres - email for details, and follow him on Facebook and Twitter. View the promo video

This Week London - 3 to see

Check us out, all over This Week London

Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre Do Shakespeare | The Bill Murray | 16-17 Aug (pictured)
If you are in the mood to laugh your socks off, then spending a bit of time with the Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre might well be in order. This act has been wowing our reviewers and their fellow audience members for years up at the old edfringe and if you haven’t ever seen them before it is totally time to put that right. See the venue website here for info.

Socks Do Shakespeare at The Camden Fringe, August 16 & 17 - Book now! 

Best Tour Ever update - even better than we thought

Having already written about how Socks Do Shakespeare was our best tour ever, I was delighted to get my settlement from Komedia Brighton today confirming that, not only did our shows there do better than last year, but the first of the two shows there was our biggest selling show of the tour.

This brings our average for the tour up above our guarantee across the board (average for turnover this is, I haven't calculated profit and loss, bearing in mind some gigs have higher travel and booking costs than others). Our top three shows, turnoverwise, were Brighton show 1, Rondo Bath, and Aberystwyth Arts Centre. Our poorest was The Bill Murray Pub in London (that's the dip you can see on the graph). And guess where we're playing two gigs next week? I am minded not to include them on this graph, cos everything looks so good as it is.

Happiness is writing the 88th invoice of the year, ending ..88, on the 8th of the 8th. Thankyou Komedia.

Socks Do Shakespeare at The Camden Fringe, August 16 & 17 - Book now!