I wrote this in response to Mr. Doyle's barflies discussing the recent tragedy in Brussels. A lot of people think it's real which is equally gratifying and worrying.
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
Sunday Sermon Podcast
Good news everybody. I've succumbed to your latest online petition and started doing a weekly current affairs podcast in character as a moronic cleric. Hope you enjoy it.
http://sundaysermonpodcast.com/
Special thanks to Conor O'Toole, Emma Keaveney and Diarmuid O'Brien.
http://sundaysermonpodcast.com/
Special thanks to Conor O'Toole, Emma Keaveney and Diarmuid O'Brien.
Couples Counselling
It's been over a few weeks since the end of the initial run of "Couples Counselling" at Smock Alley and feeling has just about returned to my legs. As a director I had less and less to do as the opening night approached - the strenuous business of line learning and running around for an hour was effortlessly performed by the cast - but I'm a lazy man and even the shortest prolonged burst of effort can leave me bedridden for weeks at a time.
She and Stephen are part of a brilliantly talented comedy group called Dreamgun. They're a Dublin based group of whizkids who make amazing live and filmed sketches. They sometimes do staged readings of blockbuster movies to raise funds for their various endeavours. Stephen played Dr. Alan Grant in their Jurassic Park staged reading and was a very funny straight man. Philippa is from the legendary Irish comedy group Diet Of Worms and is something onto the Irish Catherine O'Hara. She's a comedy savant. Everyone worked really hard and contributed great gags and character moments to the different drafts of the script.
The show was presented as a work-in-progress as part of Smock Alley's Scene + Heard festival for new work. We had two successful nights and are now applying to the Dublin Tiger Fringe. We're hoping to do a bit more work on it before debuting the show proper.
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
A weirdo calls...
My friend Danny O'Hanlon is a comedian, broadcaster and a terrifically nice fellow. He sometimes hosts Dundalk FM's Drive Time show where he plays a selection of great music, informs listeners of local goings on and weighs in on the issues of the day. Last week Danny read out an announcement about an upcoming gig featuring the self proclaimed king of comedy, Louth entertainment legend Big "O", whom Danny challenged to a stand-up stand-off. Comedy promoter Nicky Fallon called Danny out on his hubris and the two set about organizing the increasingly violent competition.
https://soundcloud.com/dannyohanlon/112615-the-stand-up-stand-off
The following week Danny played some old Woody Allen clips to celebrate the auteur's 80th birthday only to have the man himself ring up to discuss chippers, weight lifting and shooting Dundalk for Manhattan.
https://soundcloud.com/dannyohanlon/12-02-15-woody-allens-birthday
https://soundcloud.com/dannyohanlon/12-03-15-elvis-costello-calls-in
https://soundcloud.com/dannyohanlon/112615-the-stand-up-stand-off
The following week Danny played some old Woody Allen clips to celebrate the auteur's 80th birthday only to have the man himself ring up to discuss chippers, weight lifting and shooting Dundalk for Manhattan.
https://soundcloud.com/dannyohanlon/12-02-15-woody-allens-birthday
Elvis Costello call the Drivetime show on Dundalk FM to
discuss the origins of NWA's 'Fuck the Police', his time as a
video-store manager and eccentric air-travel with David Cameron.
https://soundcloud.com/dannyohanlon/12-03-15-elvis-costello-calls-in
Friday, November 27, 2015
The Alison Spittle Show
 |
| Colin, Alison and I in Brighton for the Comedy Festival, May 2015. |
PILOT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtM4k6RfmIk
Alison Spittle is a really funny comedian from Mullingar in Westmeath. We've been friends for a few years through stand-up and have collaborated on a few sketches and scripts. She's a member of The Mess Around repertory players and has portrayed a number of diverse characters including Mrs. Godzilla, Malala and The Green M & M. Colin and I recently moved The Mess Around to the Workman's and they had a free night they wanted filling, so I suggested a chat show with Miss Spittle. Diarmuid O'Brien helped us produce the pilot which was a lot of fun. Our pal Andrea Farrel did the warm up, Big Monster Club served as our house band and we were very lucky to get Tara Flynn and Aidan Power as guests.
Producing a chat show for no money above a pub was a new experience. I acted as head writer and supervised our lovely team which included Ellen Tannen and Alan Maguire. Diarmuid ran the set with Tadhg Collins and Tom Rowley while Alison hosted the heck out of it.
The pilot is above and we had such a good time that we're planning episode 2 on January 8th in The Workman's. The clip below is a segment from the show entitled "Dog In The Street" about a lovely black pup who tells Alison quite libelous gossip.
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Brody & Chadwick in The Great Blimp Deception
Coming to a Smock Alley Theater, Dublin near you!
Colin and I are doing our very stupid sketch show The Great Blimp Deception as part of the Collaborations Festival. The show also stars Alison Spittle, Simon Mulholland and Justin Brody with tech wizery from Diarmuid O'Brien, music by Brian Kelly and filmed sketches directed by Rory Walsh. It's running from March 6th to 7th before we take it to the Brighton Fringe in May.
Rory directed a few sketches for us that we've put up as mini trailers. Sure give them an ol' look sure why dontcha?
Colin as Solomon R. Guggenheim
On the run and loving it in Inisboffin.
Friday, January 2, 2015
Paddy Angryman
All in all there's five episodes that should take up 20 minutes of your time. The show was shot beautifully by James McDonnell and looks, to quote Francis Ford Coppola, "the business". Although the show has yet to directly lead to tearing down the government we're all very proud of it
Diarmuid, Charlene and I spoke to the lovely Abie Philbin Bowman from Radio 1's "Arena" about the series a few weeks ago. Here's an auld link:
http://www.rte.ie/radio1/arena/programmes/2014/1127/663074-arena-thursday-27-november-2014/?clipid=1741351
Monday, October 6, 2014
Shoe Magnet
What is a shoe magnet? How does it work? What does it do? Who is it for?
Enough with your infernal questions! Watch this illuminating video to find all the answers you're looking for.
Colin Chadwick and I made this video in collaboration with our pals from DreamGun - Messers Heber Hanly and James McDonnell. https://www.youtube.com/user/dreamgunandsons
Monday, September 22, 2014
A Walk Among The Tombstones review by The Netflix Kid
originally written for Headstuff.org by Kid Netflix, as told to Giles Brody
A Walk Among The Tombstones stars Liam Neeson who has thrilled audiences the world over by kicking the shit out of a load of lads in the Taken films. As a studious fan of Neeson’s work in The A-Team, Non-Stop, The Grey and those three films only, I had a certain level of expectation for the amount of murderlizing from the man the people of Ireland have affectionately nicknamed “The Big Fella” and “Lanky Brando”.
The film starts with Neeson playing a drunk NYPD detective who shoots up three lads who rudely interrupt his bourbon breakfast by robbing the pub, killing them all in the process. The screen time : murder ratio starts off strong. Unfortunately this is followed by ages where there’s no murders at all. Then there’s bits where it seems like there’s going to be a murder and then something else happens instead. Instead of murdering some lads, finding an address on a scrap of paper, visiting that address and murdering the lads that live there, the film is full of Neeson chasing up clues. He doesn’t use a blowtorch or the blunt end of a fire extinguisher, instead he uses charm and wit to uncover clues, which is alright but could have used some kickboxing.
There’s a young fella he befriends who Neeson takes under his wing but instead of teaching him how to be the best at killing he teaches him about the basics of being a private eye and a bond is created throughout the film which is nice but it eats into valuable killing time.
So the plot involves some serial killers (finally!) abducting drug dealers’ spouses for ransom and then killing them anyway in ways so gruesome they don’t fully show it to you so you have to use your imagination which turned out to be even worse because that place is like a haunted funfair. An AA acquaintance (or AAAA) asks Neeson to help out his brother whose wife has been taken by the mad lads. A critic at the press screening I was at who kicked my chair whenever I checked my phone said it was lovely to see Neeson back playing an everyman out of his depth and not a killer robot with a Liam Neeson exterior.
Fuckface also bollocked on about how the themes of second chances and redemption are prevalent throughout the film, and Neeson’s character’s innate sense of empathy draws out affecting performances from his co-stars. The film’s script by director and screenwriting legend Scott Frank (Out Of Sight, Get Shorty, Minority Report) is lean with a slow, considered pace – every exchange matters to furthering the plot but Frank does this without skimping on the humanity of the characters. I suppose in the end it’s all right but if it’s murders you’re after at the hand of Liam Neeson you might have to wait until Expendables 4.
A Walk Among The Tombstones stars Liam Neeson who has thrilled audiences the world over by kicking the shit out of a load of lads in the Taken films. As a studious fan of Neeson’s work in The A-Team, Non-Stop, The Grey and those three films only, I had a certain level of expectation for the amount of murderlizing from the man the people of Ireland have affectionately nicknamed “The Big Fella” and “Lanky Brando”.
The film starts with Neeson playing a drunk NYPD detective who shoots up three lads who rudely interrupt his bourbon breakfast by robbing the pub, killing them all in the process. The screen time : murder ratio starts off strong. Unfortunately this is followed by ages where there’s no murders at all. Then there’s bits where it seems like there’s going to be a murder and then something else happens instead. Instead of murdering some lads, finding an address on a scrap of paper, visiting that address and murdering the lads that live there, the film is full of Neeson chasing up clues. He doesn’t use a blowtorch or the blunt end of a fire extinguisher, instead he uses charm and wit to uncover clues, which is alright but could have used some kickboxing.
There’s a young fella he befriends who Neeson takes under his wing but instead of teaching him how to be the best at killing he teaches him about the basics of being a private eye and a bond is created throughout the film which is nice but it eats into valuable killing time.
So the plot involves some serial killers (finally!) abducting drug dealers’ spouses for ransom and then killing them anyway in ways so gruesome they don’t fully show it to you so you have to use your imagination which turned out to be even worse because that place is like a haunted funfair. An AA acquaintance (or AAAA) asks Neeson to help out his brother whose wife has been taken by the mad lads. A critic at the press screening I was at who kicked my chair whenever I checked my phone said it was lovely to see Neeson back playing an everyman out of his depth and not a killer robot with a Liam Neeson exterior.
Fuckface also bollocked on about how the themes of second chances and redemption are prevalent throughout the film, and Neeson’s character’s innate sense of empathy draws out affecting performances from his co-stars. The film’s script by director and screenwriting legend Scott Frank (Out Of Sight, Get Shorty, Minority Report) is lean with a slow, considered pace – every exchange matters to furthering the plot but Frank does this without skimping on the humanity of the characters. I suppose in the end it’s all right but if it’s murders you’re after at the hand of Liam Neeson you might have to wait until Expendables 4.
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Top Five Fun Film Facts: The Matrix
Friday, August 29, 2014
Lad Lane
(originally written for Headstuff)
Lad Lane is a podcast sitcom/soap/descent into madness from comedians Giles Brody and Colin Chadwick.
Concerned with the increasingly erratic behaviour of his neighbours; Colin Chadwick starts to secretly record his encounters with the inhabitants of Lad Lane.
The audio equivalent of found footage, episodes take the form of voicemails, failed broadcasts and covert recordings. Ranging from 7 to 62 minutes, they feature Chadwick’s interactions with Lad Lane’s eccentric inhabitants. To protect their identities faces have been blurred and surnames omitted.
NAME: “Noona”.
OCCUPATION: Entrepreneur, evil genius and Colin’s landlady.
LIKES: Accusing her tenants of criminality, spreading baseless rumours, scheming with her husband Judas, matchmaking for her daughter Anne.
DISLIKES: Colin, Colin’s penchant for burgers, messing, messers.
QUOTE: “Spot check!”
NAME: “Pierce”
OCCUPATION: Actor, satellite member of heavy metal band Spoony Lips
LIKES: His new flat mate and Spoony Lips frontman Gary who is totally amazing.
DISLIKES: Anyone who has anything bad to say about Gary.
QUOTE: “Gary’s riffs come to him in dreams, you know.”
NAME: “Gary”
OCCUPATION: Spoony Lips frontman, aspiring filmmaker, boards.ie moderator. LIKES: Total creative control, Pierce’s ATM card, cruel pranks.
DISLIKES: Haters, people who don’t get his sense of humour, Pierce’s growing sense of independence.
QUOTE: “Shut up Pierce.”
NAME: “Anne”
OCCUPATION: Burger Bar employee, formerly the Health Board.
LIKES: Her twice-daily five-minute cigarette breaks.
DISLIKES: Working for her mother Noona, being set up by Noona, Noona.
QUOTE: “Welcome to the Burger Bar, please help me.”
NAME: “Keith”
OCCUPATION: Self proclaimed dog and political dog expert.
LIKES: Everyone, everything, dogs, his car home.
DISLIKES: The lack of room to stretch in said car home.
QUOTE: “I personally know the new dog comptroller for Ennis.”
NAME: “Duncan”
OCCUPATION: Omnipotent environmentally friendly house computer. Part Duncan Stewart, part HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey
LIKES: Making bread, being environmentally friendly.
DISLIKES: Insolence which is punishable by death.
QUOTE: “Cutting off all oxygen….. now.”
NAME: “Judas”
OCCUPATION: Lowly ranked police officer/station custodian.
LIKES: Getting his man, keeping punks off the street, his darling wife Noona and his so-so daughter Anne, hunting the Loch Ness monster.
DISLIKES: Doing things by the book, the Garda Ombudsman, punks.
QUOTE: “Please don’t tell on me.”
NAME: “Old Ned”
OCCUPATION: Menace, petty thief.
LIKES: Scaring children.
DISLIKES: Comeuppance, steamrollers.
QUOTE: “Ahhhhhh!”
Season 1 of Lad Lane is now available on iTunes and Soundcloud with Season 2 coming soon!
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LadLaneComedy
Twitter: @colinchadwick, @gilesbrody
Colin Chadwick & Giles Brody
Lad Lane is a podcast sitcom/soap/descent into madness from comedians Giles Brody and Colin Chadwick.
Concerned with the increasingly erratic behaviour of his neighbours; Colin Chadwick starts to secretly record his encounters with the inhabitants of Lad Lane.
The audio equivalent of found footage, episodes take the form of voicemails, failed broadcasts and covert recordings. Ranging from 7 to 62 minutes, they feature Chadwick’s interactions with Lad Lane’s eccentric inhabitants. To protect their identities faces have been blurred and surnames omitted.
NAME: “Noona”.
OCCUPATION: Entrepreneur, evil genius and Colin’s landlady.
LIKES: Accusing her tenants of criminality, spreading baseless rumours, scheming with her husband Judas, matchmaking for her daughter Anne.
DISLIKES: Colin, Colin’s penchant for burgers, messing, messers.
QUOTE: “Spot check!”
NAME: “Pierce”
OCCUPATION: Actor, satellite member of heavy metal band Spoony Lips
LIKES: His new flat mate and Spoony Lips frontman Gary who is totally amazing.
DISLIKES: Anyone who has anything bad to say about Gary.
QUOTE: “Gary’s riffs come to him in dreams, you know.”
NAME: “Gary”
OCCUPATION: Spoony Lips frontman, aspiring filmmaker, boards.ie moderator. LIKES: Total creative control, Pierce’s ATM card, cruel pranks.
DISLIKES: Haters, people who don’t get his sense of humour, Pierce’s growing sense of independence.
QUOTE: “Shut up Pierce.”
NAME: “Anne”
OCCUPATION: Burger Bar employee, formerly the Health Board.
LIKES: Her twice-daily five-minute cigarette breaks.
DISLIKES: Working for her mother Noona, being set up by Noona, Noona.
QUOTE: “Welcome to the Burger Bar, please help me.”
NAME: “Keith”
OCCUPATION: Self proclaimed dog and political dog expert.
LIKES: Everyone, everything, dogs, his car home.
DISLIKES: The lack of room to stretch in said car home.
QUOTE: “I personally know the new dog comptroller for Ennis.”
NAME: “Duncan”
OCCUPATION: Omnipotent environmentally friendly house computer. Part Duncan Stewart, part HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey
LIKES: Making bread, being environmentally friendly.
DISLIKES: Insolence which is punishable by death.
QUOTE: “Cutting off all oxygen….. now.”
NAME: “Judas”
OCCUPATION: Lowly ranked police officer/station custodian.
LIKES: Getting his man, keeping punks off the street, his darling wife Noona and his so-so daughter Anne, hunting the Loch Ness monster.
DISLIKES: Doing things by the book, the Garda Ombudsman, punks.
QUOTE: “Please don’t tell on me.”
NAME: “Old Ned”
OCCUPATION: Menace, petty thief.
LIKES: Scaring children.
DISLIKES: Comeuppance, steamrollers.
QUOTE: “Ahhhhhh!”
Season 1 of Lad Lane is now available on iTunes and Soundcloud with Season 2 coming soon!
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LadLaneComedy
Twitter: @colinchadwick, @gilesbrody
Monday, March 3, 2014
An urgent appeal to abstinence education group "Pure In Heart" to visit Portlaoise Prison
My name is Henry Proter. I'm an associate of Mr. Tom Colgan who works with the chaplain's service in Portlaoise. The staff here is committed to providing a comfortable, safe environment in which inmates can reflect on their crimes while learning new skills. It is hoped that these new skills will help the inmates to make a positive contribution to society upon their release. As in all walks of life there are a few bad apples who don't "get" it. A friend recommended your service. He said you specialized in teaching abstinence in schools so maybe ye've a few tricks up your sleeves to help myself and Tom out.
These "problem prisoners" (a.k.a. "The Bad Apple Gang", a.k.a. "The Fuck You Five" as they're known to the "screws" here) are all located in the maximum security hanger in the prisons basement known as "Alcatraz". Alcatraz consists of five glass boxes where prisoners with a history of anti-social behaviour are kept from the greater prison populace. They get exercise but they're in those glass boxes for upwards of 22 hours a day so they can get a bit cranky. The room itself is very impressive and whenever Governor Willie Connolly is giving a tour he traditionally ends it in Alcatraz.
Many thanks,
yours etc.
Henry Porter.
Monday, February 3, 2014
The Shed Beat: Galway City
Wish there was audio of this morning's news. He repeated the word 'shed' at least six times. "The shed is a matter of some concern." "This shed which used to a horse shed". "Yesterday evening when I went down to the shed..." etc.
Trying to imagine what he saw that so appalled him. A pantsless couple in one corner listlessly making the beast with two Abercrombied backs...a hunger-bloated urchin of indeterminate gender sipping from a bottle of turps and lying prone beside a pile of excrement at which a shivering old skeletal dog anxiously laps...all illuminated by a bare, flickering, moth-bedecked lightbulb to a soundtrack of Gimme Shelter.
I did some further digging online and found this article I made up:
"Drugged Up Sex Shed Must Shed Sex And Drugs Image If It's To Remain A Shed" Says Mayor Conneelly
Mayor Conneelly, who has been dubbed by locals as "Mayor Shed" or "The Shed Mayor", today issued an ultimatum to the controversial shed on Rahoon Road: rehabilitation or damnation. When asked for a statement the shed, which is comprised of 24 x 9 inch cavity blocks and around 15-20 x 4 inch solid blocks, made no comment.
When man fights shed nobody wins. Perhaps the council could employ some shed wardens to monitor these sheds and eject those who fail to adhere to proper shed etiquette. If the council can't shell out for shed wardens perhaps benevolent citizens could step in to fill the role. If seven people gave up just twenty-four hours of their week, once a week for every week, then we could all hang around in abandoned sheds in city centres in the middle of the afternoon unencumbered by judgement and unhindered by sexy drugs.
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Early Happy Chinese New Year
Hey now. I wrote a story that appeared in a book for charity. That is to say that the proceeds of the book went to charity, and NOT that my being included was an act of charity. The charity in question is AWARE and they do great work for people with depression.
http://www.aware.ie/
I've posted my tiny contribution below.
Santa’s Borrowed Suit
by Giles Brody
http://www.aware.ie/
I've posted my tiny contribution below.
Santa’s Borrowed Suit
by Giles Brody
Santa came to our house on Christmas Eve looking for his suit.
Daddy told me he had borrowed the suit for his work social. I was worried that
Daddy would forget to return the suit and that Santa would be forced to go
around the world delivering presents to the boys and girls with only his beard
to keep him warm. This worried me.
On the days before Christmas Day I kept looking in Mammy and
Daddy’s room and every day Santa’s suit would still be there hanging in a
wrinkly heap in a bag on the back of the door. What was Daddy playing at? Did
he want Santa to catch a cold? Did he care about all the boys and girls in the
world getting their presents? Maybe he’s jealous because Santa doesn’t give him
presents anymore.
I remember asking Daddy when Santa stopped coming to him. He
said Santa stopped when he was twelve. I asked why? Daddy said it was something
to do with letting the younger children enjoy Christmas but I think it’s
because Daddy was bold and Santa put him on his naughty list. But then why
would Santa loan him his suit for the work social?
That and a lot more questions were buzzing around my brain as I tried to go to sleep on Christmas Eve. Mummy and Daddy had gone to the pub to meet the neighbours. It was a tradition and it meant that none of the parents would disturb Santa while he was delivering presents. I didn’t want to disturb Santa either, but I did want to see him so I hid behind the sofa with a few stuffed bears for company and my blue rug in case it got cold. At midnight there was not no sound of hooves but there was a tap tap tap on the window followed a smashing sound. A minute later Santa had climbed in through our window and was standing in our living room.
I knew Daddy had his suit so I knew Santa wouldn’t look like he did in pictures. I didn’t expect him to be wearing a black tracksuit and a black wooly hat. He was fat but not Santa fat and his beard was black with flecks of white. Aha, I thought. Clearly snow from the North Pole.
That and a lot more questions were buzzing around my brain as I tried to go to sleep on Christmas Eve. Mummy and Daddy had gone to the pub to meet the neighbours. It was a tradition and it meant that none of the parents would disturb Santa while he was delivering presents. I didn’t want to disturb Santa either, but I did want to see him so I hid behind the sofa with a few stuffed bears for company and my blue rug in case it got cold. At midnight there was not no sound of hooves but there was a tap tap tap on the window followed a smashing sound. A minute later Santa had climbed in through our window and was standing in our living room.
I knew Daddy had his suit so I knew Santa wouldn’t look like he did in pictures. I didn’t expect him to be wearing a black tracksuit and a black wooly hat. He was fat but not Santa fat and his beard was black with flecks of white. Aha, I thought. Clearly snow from the North Pole.
Santa had a lamp on his head and was picking up our
television when I walked into the living room.
“Santa, your suit isn’t under the telly silly. It’s in a bag in Mammy and Daddy’s room.”
Santa froze, hoping I didn’t see him. He looked pale and his lips were trembling. I’d realized then that I’d given him a big fright so I said sorry.
“I didn’t mean to scare you Santa.”
“Santa?” Santa said.
“You don’t look like Santa but that’s because Daddy has your suit in a bag. When you put it on you get fat and your beard will turn white”.
“Santa, your suit isn’t under the telly silly. It’s in a bag in Mammy and Daddy’s room.”
Santa froze, hoping I didn’t see him. He looked pale and his lips were trembling. I’d realized then that I’d given him a big fright so I said sorry.
“I didn’t mean to scare you Santa.”
“Santa?” Santa said.
“You don’t look like Santa but that’s because Daddy has your suit in a bag. When you put it on you get fat and your beard will turn white”.
Santa shook his head slowly and smiled.
“I’ll go and get your costume from Mammy and Daddy’s room. While I’m gone you should eat some of the treats we left out to help fatten you up.”
Santa nodded. He wasn’t jolly like the Santa in the shopping
center. He must have been tired from travelling all round the world. By the
time I’d returned with his costume, Santa was trying to climb back out the
window.
“Santa, don’t go!”
“Santa, don’t go!”
The sash on the window came down and bumped Santa on the
head. I ran over to see if he was alright.
“Santa, there’s red coming from your head!”
Santa nodded and made a shhh gesture. He thought Mammy and Daddy were in the house and he mustn’t have wanted to disturb them. He really was the nicest man in the world!
“Santa, there’s red coming from your head!”
Santa nodded and made a shhh gesture. He thought Mammy and Daddy were in the house and he mustn’t have wanted to disturb them. He really was the nicest man in the world!
Santa said he’d dress himself in his suit on so long as I
stayed quiet. He wobbled about as he put it on over his black tracksuit. I
asked him lots of questions about the North Pole. He said he’d answer them so
long as I was quiet. Sometimes for fun I’d start off asking a question very
quietly and then YELL AT THE END. It gave Santa such a fright.
A few minutes later, Mammy and Daddy returned from the pub.
Daddy was so happy to see Santa that he gave him a big hug into the wall. Santa
fell on the ground and must have hurt his head because the next thing I knew,
Daddy was sitting on Santa’s head and calling for help on his phone. Daddy told
Mammy to bring me to bed. “Goodnight Santa!” I said sleepily as Mammy picked me
up and brought me upstairs. “I’m glad you got your suit back!”
Special thanks to the Liberties Press and Carol Tobin.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Lad Lane Live & How To Murder A Ghost
Hello friends,
Well it sure has been a swelterin' summer here on the ol' Brody ranch located several miles below Brody Headquarters. Louis Walsh bought my body swap comedy as Jedward's possible movie debut. I've just finished adapting Raging Bull into a panto for the lads to perform come Christmas time. It might be a bit early to call but I think our main theme, "Did You Fuck My Wife?", is destined to become a yuletide classic.
In other real world news I was shortlisted for Sky's The Big Pitch at this years Kilkenny Festival which was fun. Messers Sammon, Walsh and I got an honourable by Hat Trick for their Short and Furries competition for our sketch "Doctor Dolittle: The True Story".
My sitcom script "Talk Of The Town" was shortlisted by Sideline for their sitcom competition. Diarmuid O'Brien's satirical websitcom "Paddy Angryman", in which I appear alongside proper actors, will be gearing up for more episodes. Diarmuid's something of a workhorse and when he's not showrunning panel show pilots, he's standing up for the little guy/gal through the medium of 'the funny video' with his frequent collaborator Tara Flynn. http://dangerfarm.ie/
Dublin's 10 Days In Dublin Festival kicks off again in July and Colin Chadwick and I delighted to be apart of not one, not three, but two shows. We'll be bringing our hour long sketch-funapalooza "Lad Lane" to Sweeney's on the 8th of July at 6:30.
http://entertainment.ticketsolve.com/shows/873496273/events
Colin and I are helping to write and produce a play called "How To Murder A Ghost". We're collaborating with the Gaiety's lovely Teri Fitzgerald and the three of us have been having a grand old time planning the production and scaring the shit out of each other. It's a horror-comedy that's going to be staged in St. Patrick's Cathedral on the nights of the 12th and 13th of July.
http://www.10daysindublin.com/programme/how-to-murder-a-ghost-by-fitzchadbro-co/
We've got a great cast of up-and-coming Gaiety actors as well as some comedy folk. We'll release more details the sooner we get to the show but in the mean time here's a terrifying picture to keep you tantalised...
Colin Chadwick, 11th June 2013 in St. Patrick's Cathedral during a writing meeting for "How To Murder A Ghost"
Well it sure has been a swelterin' summer here on the ol' Brody ranch located several miles below Brody Headquarters. Louis Walsh bought my body swap comedy as Jedward's possible movie debut. I've just finished adapting Raging Bull into a panto for the lads to perform come Christmas time. It might be a bit early to call but I think our main theme, "Did You Fuck My Wife?", is destined to become a yuletide classic.
In other real world news I was shortlisted for Sky's The Big Pitch at this years Kilkenny Festival which was fun. Messers Sammon, Walsh and I got an honourable by Hat Trick for their Short and Furries competition for our sketch "Doctor Dolittle: The True Story".
My sitcom script "Talk Of The Town" was shortlisted by Sideline for their sitcom competition. Diarmuid O'Brien's satirical websitcom "Paddy Angryman", in which I appear alongside proper actors, will be gearing up for more episodes. Diarmuid's something of a workhorse and when he's not showrunning panel show pilots, he's standing up for the little guy/gal through the medium of 'the funny video' with his frequent collaborator Tara Flynn. http://dangerfarm.ie/
Dublin's 10 Days In Dublin Festival kicks off again in July and Colin Chadwick and I delighted to be apart of not one, not three, but two shows. We'll be bringing our hour long sketch-funapalooza "Lad Lane" to Sweeney's on the 8th of July at 6:30.
http://entertainment.ticketsolve.com/shows/873496273/events
Colin and I are helping to write and produce a play called "How To Murder A Ghost". We're collaborating with the Gaiety's lovely Teri Fitzgerald and the three of us have been having a grand old time planning the production and scaring the shit out of each other. It's a horror-comedy that's going to be staged in St. Patrick's Cathedral on the nights of the 12th and 13th of July.
http://www.10daysindublin.com/programme/how-to-murder-a-ghost-by-fitzchadbro-co/
We've got a great cast of up-and-coming Gaiety actors as well as some comedy folk. We'll release more details the sooner we get to the show but in the mean time here's a terrifying picture to keep you tantalised...
Colin Chadwick, 11th June 2013 in St. Patrick's Cathedral during a writing meeting for "How To Murder A Ghost"
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Friday, January 11, 2013
Lad Lane
Hello you.
Hope you're well. One of my New Years Resolutions is to learn the words to Auld Lang Syne and I'm already behind on that. My other resolutions are to eat more, exercise less and get really into word jumbles. I'm also going to update this blog a bit more with exciting* comedy news such as this:
My friend Colin Chadwick and I have a podcast called "Lad Lane".
"Thank heck for that!" I hear you scream. "There's not enough podcasts featuring fellows in their 20's shouting over each other." Although I do love those sorts of podcasts, ours is somewhere between a soap and a sitcom (soap-com?) in the style of Scharpling & Wurster or Bob & Ray.
The premise is this/thus. Colin lives in Lad Lane in Dublin and his encounters with his weirdo neighbours has prompted him to start recording all interactions. There's his landlady Noona, who is a cross between Mrs Doyle and Heath Ledger's Joker. Noona's husband Judas is a very low ranking Guard with a mop instead of a truncheon. The actor Pierce Brosnan lives on the lane, sharing a house with a dangerously manipulative heavy metal fan called Gary.
So far we've got eight episodes up with some select clips on Soundcloud. Next time you're taking yourself for a walk why not visit the Lane by downloading an episode.
I tunes link: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/lad-lane/id566761125
Soundcloud link: https://soundcloud.com/lad-lane
* This is called an asterisk, its used in writing and printing as a reference mark or to indicate omission, doubt matter etc.
Hope you're well. One of my New Years Resolutions is to learn the words to Auld Lang Syne and I'm already behind on that. My other resolutions are to eat more, exercise less and get really into word jumbles. I'm also going to update this blog a bit more with exciting* comedy news such as this:
My friend Colin Chadwick and I have a podcast called "Lad Lane".
"Thank heck for that!" I hear you scream. "There's not enough podcasts featuring fellows in their 20's shouting over each other." Although I do love those sorts of podcasts, ours is somewhere between a soap and a sitcom (soap-com?) in the style of Scharpling & Wurster or Bob & Ray.
The premise is this/thus. Colin lives in Lad Lane in Dublin and his encounters with his weirdo neighbours has prompted him to start recording all interactions. There's his landlady Noona, who is a cross between Mrs Doyle and Heath Ledger's Joker. Noona's husband Judas is a very low ranking Guard with a mop instead of a truncheon. The actor Pierce Brosnan lives on the lane, sharing a house with a dangerously manipulative heavy metal fan called Gary.
So far we've got eight episodes up with some select clips on Soundcloud. Next time you're taking yourself for a walk why not visit the Lane by downloading an episode.
I tunes link: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/lad-lane/id566761125
Soundcloud link: https://soundcloud.com/lad-lane
* This is called an asterisk, its used in writing and printing as a reference mark or to indicate omission, doubt matter etc.
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Sitcom Pilot
Hello there.
"Student Teacher" got through to the finals of the RTE Storyland competition and finished in a very respectable second place. Congrats to the Begrudgers, Philip and crew on their success, and to all the other shows. Thank you to everyone who voted.
I've spent a lot of the summer writing sitcom pilots and specs for folks. I wrote my first sitcom pilot when I was seventeen. It was a comedy set in an Irish language summer camp. The next one was about detectives in a college. The one after that was about a lurker in a hospital. By the time I graduated from college I had written seventeen odd sitcom pilots, all seventeen uncommissionable. Even a commissioning editor somewhere hell bent on being fired would think, "No, that'd just be taking the piss." These were mostly first drafts because why mess with perfection.
I think about those scripts sometimes - badly formatted, characters names changing on a whim, the same five jokes in each one - and try to will myself to burst into flames out of shame. I gave these to PEOPLE to READ. People I knew and people I didn't. Luckily, I often didn't have the courage to submit these scripts and spared some poor reader somewhere the indignity of reading about the world through the perspective of some young lad with, being alive aside, next to no life experience. The simple act of writing some many pages of bad stuff is that it helps you get all the gunk out of your system.
Since then I've written a few scripts, hopefully with less gunk, some of which I'm very fond of but will more than likely never get made, the simple fact is that television takes an age to make and costs a lot of money. I thought it'd be fun to do it in the style of a radio play with performers reading the scripts accompanied by music and sound effects.
Rob Kearns, who runs 10 Days In Dublin and produces the monthly Death Of Comedy gave us the go ahead to stage a reading of "The Greatest Actor In The World". It's about a Daniel Day-Lewis type uber thespian called Daniel Clayton who, despite being enormously successful, has fallen on hard times financially. He mentors a doofus teen sensation Sparky in beginners thespaining and has a hate-hate relationship with the never seen Sean Penn. Unfortunately for me, (but good for everyone else because they're great) Arthur Mathews and Matt Berry also have a sitcom about a brash actor so TGAITW's prospects of getting made are currently estimated at minus zilch. Fortunately though we have a venue and a terrific cast led by the hilarious Shane Langhan (Diet of Worms) supported by the super funny Jim Elliot, Colin Chadwick and Petra Sheehan.
The plot revolves around trying to rescue a cat from a tree using only acting. Myself and the cast took the first draft and did a lot of gag adding (or "gagding") that improved things immeasurably. If you have a script that needs more jokes and you can convince hilarious people to help you make it better I can't recommend this way of working enough.
It's (the show) is going to go down in The Workman's, Wellington Quay, Dublin on Tuesday the 4th of September, kicking off at 8PM. Funny people including MC Conor O'Toole, Tony Law and Tom Walsh will also be playing. It's going to be a lot of fun.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Student Teacher: Second Round of Voting
Hello you.
Our RTE Storyland entry "Student Teacher" is in the second round of voting which, if you're reading this before Sunday, March 25th at 9PM, you can still vote for.
The show follows the adventures of the overachieving Conor Shaw (comedian Conor O'Toole) as he returns to his old school to complete his teacher training. If you give us a view and a vote that'd be really terrific of you and would be enormously appreciated.
You can do both over at RTE's nifty Storyland page which is conveniently located here
But Giles, how can I help you more? Well, I'm touched, but you've done more then enough, but if you twist my arm I could ask you to share it on your Facebook wall or recommend it to other sound people.
The rest of the cast is made up with funny people, both new and old to the comedy scene, including Neil Molloy (Republic of Telly), Kevin McGahern (Hardy Bucks/The Man Who Slipped On The Ice), Carol Tobin (The Panel/The Savage Eye) as well as award winning stand ups Edwin Sammon and Kieran Lawless. Our music is composed by The Nicest Man in Pop a.k.a. Brian Kelly , from my favourite band So Cow. The show is produced by Spire Digital's Rory Walsh and comedy polymath Damon Blake. Massive thanks to the Brody's and people of Athenry for their support, particularly my old school the Presentation College for allowing us to take over for a weekend.
Our RTE Storyland entry "Student Teacher" is in the second round of voting which, if you're reading this before Sunday, March 25th at 9PM, you can still vote for.
The show follows the adventures of the overachieving Conor Shaw (comedian Conor O'Toole) as he returns to his old school to complete his teacher training. If you give us a view and a vote that'd be really terrific of you and would be enormously appreciated.
You can do both over at RTE's nifty Storyland page which is conveniently located here
But Giles, how can I help you more? Well, I'm touched, but you've done more then enough, but if you twist my arm I could ask you to share it on your Facebook wall or recommend it to other sound people.
The rest of the cast is made up with funny people, both new and old to the comedy scene, including Neil Molloy (Republic of Telly), Kevin McGahern (Hardy Bucks/The Man Who Slipped On The Ice), Carol Tobin (The Panel/The Savage Eye) as well as award winning stand ups Edwin Sammon and Kieran Lawless. Our music is composed by The Nicest Man in Pop a.k.a. Brian Kelly , from my favourite band So Cow. The show is produced by Spire Digital's Rory Walsh and comedy polymath Damon Blake. Massive thanks to the Brody's and people of Athenry for their support, particularly my old school the Presentation College for allowing us to take over for a weekend.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
STUDENT TEACHER
Hello there, please find below the promo for RTE Storyland's "Student Teacher".
We filmed the first episode at the beginning of December in my old secondary school. The show stars Conor O'Toole as the titular Student Teacher, with support from Carol Toibin, Neil Molloy, Doireann O'Brien, Justin Brody, Kevin McGahern, Edwin Sammon, Rachel Roche and Kieran Lawless. Music is by the wonderful Brian Kelly. Crewed by lots of lovely people. The show is produced by Damon Blake and Rory Walsh. I'm the writer and director until its discovered that I'm unqualified to be either. Massive thanks to the Presentation College Athenry, the Raheen Woods, Thompsons B&B and the people of Athenry.
The show is going "live" on the 13th of February, at which point you can vote for your favourite web series. We're going to be putting up lots of great teaser content in the run up to the launch, as well as doing gigs all over the place. We may very well be coming to a university near you, provided you live in Ireland.
All "Student Teacher" activity can be found at www.facebook.com/studentteachershow
Special thanks to Harris Wittels from Don't Stop Or We'll Die for allowing us to use his band's music in our trailer.
We filmed the first episode at the beginning of December in my old secondary school. The show stars Conor O'Toole as the titular Student Teacher, with support from Carol Toibin, Neil Molloy, Doireann O'Brien, Justin Brody, Kevin McGahern, Edwin Sammon, Rachel Roche and Kieran Lawless. Music is by the wonderful Brian Kelly. Crewed by lots of lovely people. The show is produced by Damon Blake and Rory Walsh. I'm the writer and director until its discovered that I'm unqualified to be either. Massive thanks to the Presentation College Athenry, the Raheen Woods, Thompsons B&B and the people of Athenry.
The show is going "live" on the 13th of February, at which point you can vote for your favourite web series. We're going to be putting up lots of great teaser content in the run up to the launch, as well as doing gigs all over the place. We may very well be coming to a university near you, provided you live in Ireland.
All "Student Teacher" activity can be found at www.facebook.com/studentteachershow
Special thanks to Harris Wittels from Don't Stop Or We'll Die for allowing us to use his band's music in our trailer.
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