First published 2019
Emma Taylor is used to hearing the words “this is the best job I’ve ever had”, and this feel good vibe is one of the reasons she’s still producing the show after 19 years of service. “I have so many happy memories” she says. “It is a happy place with such a strong work ethic.” Just this morning she got a call from an actor who for personal reasons could no longer take part. The associate producer Shannon quickly rallied and found another actor who sent this text: ‘If you’re really stuck, I’ll cancel my holiday…I really miss doing the show, Spain can wait!’ He doesn’t even have insurance but in true NewsRevue spirit he just said ‘it’s ok, it was a cheap ticket…’
It’s not just the actors either, it’s the whole team. Emma recalls former Technicians whose careers have continued to grow, refer to their time at Canal Café as the “the happy years”. Historically, NewsRevue started with Professor Michael Hodd along with some of his mates at Cambridge University who took it to Edinburgh Fringe. The first incarnation in 1979 was nominated for a Perrier Award and won a Fringe 1st Award. When Emma took over in 2001, she wanted to develop the more commercial aspect. She could see that “actually this show can make money, pay writers and actors, and build the reputation up”. Its first London base was at The Bush with a short stint in the West End Fortune Theatre.
“Thatcher is the only person we can bring back in this day and age, and still make it work”
Its rebirth at Canal Café came in 1984. With an intimate cabaret layout, it has become one of London’s well-loved shows, selling out most nights. There’s nothing else quite like it. With constant updating of material from a crack team of writer and a complete change of cast, director/musical director every six weeks, it’s always up to date. Currently, we have Trump, May, and all the usual suspects with topics covering current issues such as climate change and ‘isms. The quality of the satire, as Emma Taylor suggests, depends on what’s happening in the world.
One of Emma's favourite newsworthy characters over the years, has been Margaret Thatcher (ironically). “Thatcher is the only person we can bring back in this day and age, and still make it work” says Emma. “Loathe her or love her, she can still be caricatured, we still make fun of her. There’s nobody else from that era such as Major or Kinnock that could still work in the show today. We had a field day when George W. Bush was in power never thinking anyone would trump him. When Bush senior died recently, we had a voice-over from Bush junior to his father as part of his eulogy ‘well, at least you lived to see the day when I wasn’t the dumbest US president'.”
Emma goes as far to say that she “Preferred the George W. Bush period”. She preferred the material because it was more sophisticated satire. “Everybody jumps on Trump” says Emma “but it’s obvious humour, too easy a target- Bush was too, but it was easier to find really good parody, a depth of satire.”
“We weren’t sure if it would work but the combination of the subject matter parodying S Club 7 songs in a Terror Medley turned into the most rousing ending to the show I have ever witnessed."
Emma’s also forthcoming about one of the shows which really stuck in her memory at the time of Bush: “The pub (The Bridge House), was very different at the turn of the millennium - thick carpets on the floor, large televisions hanging from the ceiling. On 9/11, 2001 it was on one of these that I watched the attack on the second tower. It was a Tuesday. The material that started pouring in was totally unsuitable (in the light of the bombings). Many people were scared to go out in London, let alone be part of political comedy, as such one of the actors and the musical director left so we had to replace them. On the first day of the show, two days later on the Thursday, there were only six people in the audience. One man had his feet up on the table and did a slow clap at the end and shouted out ‘Cowards’ at the curtain call as we hadn’t mentioned the attacks. There was no way we were going to cover what had happened until we had the right way to do it."
Emma Taylor receiving the IARA Special Recognition Award.
Two weeks later this came in the form of a brilliant duet from stalwart writers James Harris and Mark Blakewill who composed a parody song to Cat Stephens aka Yusuf Islam’s ‘Father and Son.’ “It featured Bush senior singing to Bush junior" says Emma. "Both male actors could play guitar and they sat on the edge of the stage with Bush senior singing -
‘It’s not time to start a war,
Just chill out, take it easy,
You’re my son, you are dumb, there’s so much you have to learn,
So be restrained, use your brain
If you want use someone else’s
Yours is small for a man, in the White House’
You could hear a pin drop; the lyrics and sentiment were spot on. People were crying it was so moving. It’s probably my all-time favourite NewsRevue moment."
Another landmark moment also on the terrorist theme came when Katy Pesskin, (the first director during Emma’s tenure to direct two Edinburgh runs) took the bold step of covering terrorism as the finale to show in Edinburgh 2017. “We weren’t sure if it would work but the combination of the subject matter parodying S Club 7 songs in a Terror Medley turned into the most rousing ending to the show I have ever witnessed. At its first London preview everybody was on their feet at the end. The standing ovations continued in Edinburgh.”
"We’ve also had people marry and have babies after meeting on NewsRevue and form lifelong friendships."
Something that also makes Emma proud, is the amount of female talent who have come through the show. To name but a few - Sarah Pascoe, Gemma Whelan, Cariad Lloyd, Pippa Evans and Bridget Christie who won the Edinburgh Comedy Award. She also loves the fact that so many collaborations are made via NewsRevue in the form of double acts and sketch shows such as Idiots of Ants and Zazu. Performers move on with confidence but often return because Canal Café has become their spiritual home. "I had the great pleasure of seeing the League of Gentlemen film part of their TV show at Canal Cafe and watch them getting really excited backstage seeing the old wigs and random props" says Emma. "We’ve also had people marry and have babies after meeting on NewsRevue and form lifelong friendships."
The highlights keep coming and in this anniversary year, NewsRevue will be appearing on BBC breakfast TV on 8 August. It’s a fitting tribute to the show which still holds the Guinness World record for the longest running live comedy show in the world. After 9 glorious years in the Pleasance Courtyard, Emma’s also delighted that NewsRevue will be returning to perform in the iconic ‘Purple Cow’ at Underbelly at Edinburgh Fringe in August following a sellout run last summer.
Which brings Emma round to commenting on her recommendations for Edinburgh Fringe. Just three of her must see shows from Canal Cafe/NewsRevue alumni include:
Motherhood
by Tara Newton-Wordsworth
Denied
by Connie Wookey
Just These Please sketch comedy group
And, of course, don’t miss NewsRevue, in its 40th Anniversary year! It’s been called ‘a rite of passage for all comedy newcomers’, and it’s a stonkingly entertaining perspective on world news.
Emma Taylor was chatting with Heather Jeffery, Editor of London Pub Theatres
Emma Taylor’s new book The Pocket Producer: A Guide to Putting on a Sell-out Show at Edinburgh and Getting your Big Break will be on sale on Amazon from August.
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DID YOU KNOW
NewsRevue changes its cast every six weeks and with up to 300 applying to audition, short-listing is stringent. CV skills on Spotlight and elsewhere must show that they are a great singer and have at least one comedy credit. They might not be the funniest on day of the audition but there has to be a glimmer. During the rehearsals the funny bone will quickly develop into full blown political satire.
Image at the top of the page: Front row left to right - Brett Sinclair, Maya-Nika Bewley, Emma Taylor, Althea Burey, Christian James.
Back row, left to right - MD Andrew Linnie and Samuel Hopkins, Director
Image below of the 40 Anniversary NewsRevue
Photography by petesmith.dphoto.com,
We are very proud to announce that LONDON PUB THEATRES MAGAZINE is now an OFFIE AWARD WINNING publication
A ONEOFF Special Award has been awarded to London Pub Theatres Magazine and Editor Heather Jeffery for providing a vital forum for highlighting the excellent work that happens in rooms in pubs, with sensitive editing, and an acute sense of the importance of tiny fringe venues to the health and development of British Theatre