New Act Of The Month: David Stanier.
You know David Stanier? He’s that nice lad; bit silly. He talks about ghosts, dogs and jigsaws. We first spotted David at a gig in York earlier this year and he blew us away. So much so we’ve kept tabs on him ever since (no, not in that way), and we were delighted to hear he won the Hilarity Bites’ New Act of the Year competition last month. With that in mind, then, we thought we’d catch up with David for a chat to talk about his comedy. He’s our New Act of the Month for August!
AD: Hi David. How and why did you get into comedy?
DS: With no son and heir to carry on my name and memory upon my death, I felt a need to leave some form of legacy. So I thought some jokes about dogs and ghosts ought to do…
Also, I’d always liked comedy, especially through high school with my best bud Thom. Making people laugh is nice and it felt like I wasn’t too bad at it, at least at parties. I had a look at the people who I wanted to be at the time, people like Steve Coogan, Simon Pegg, The Mighty Boosh, Russell Brand, Tom Cruise, etc. At least 80% of them started with stand-up so I thought, “Okedokey”. I saw a poster for an open mic night at Lancaster University, the place where I was learning things, and applied to have a go. Now, if I didn’t do it I’d go proper mad.
My first gig went terrible, mind. I was surrounded by poets and acoustic singer song writers on the bill and I was terrible. I moved to Manchester in October 2010 and since then done over a 100 gigs. For a more specific number, I’d say LOADZ!
AD: If you could gig with one comedian then who would it be?
DS: Probably Russell Brand, however whenever I have gigged with people I’ve admired and want to impress, the time before being on stage is awful for my insides and I’m always scared I’ll just seize up like an old steam train.
AD: Where do you want to be in five years’ time?
DS: It’s the year 2017. I’m in a villa in Northern Italy. I’ve just finished the script to Jurassic Park 5 – it would blow 8 year old me’s mind. I’m dead proud.
The phone rings. “I’ll get it!” I melodically call through to my wife who is in the library. She is called Emily or Natalie or Georgina or sumfink (I do know her name by then but right now my love future is a question mark?)
I expect that the person on the other end of the phone will probably be Danny Sutcliffe from prison, he is doing time for putting Brennan Reece’s windows through with bricks six years ago out of white hot revenge, amongst other crimes. But it’s not….
“Hello? No, no, I’m free to talk. Sorry? What was that? My film ‘Dog Fists’ has been nominated for a BAFTA? No! Thank you, Stephen Fry, George Clooney and Matt Bellamy (from Muse). I’ll see you all sometime in the Autumn. We’ll go trick or treating…”
It was a conference call. I’ve got a cracking costume lined up but it’s a secret.
I look out from the balcony across the valley at the lake below and the rows of olive trees. I just smile from one of my ears to the other side of my face where you will find another one of my ears…
“Well done Stanier” says Mufasa made out of clouds.
That or just doing comedy as a living please.
AD: Are you a Tweeter?
DS: Yep! @DavidStanier. I do the tweets; not lots but some. I don’t say what I’m having for tea or anything but know this: it is usually pizza. #pizza
AD: Where can we see you next?
DS: I’m all over the place, but specifically I’m in Sheffield for Alt.Com.Cab on Monday 20th August and I’m looking forward to doing A Laugh In Stockport on the 4th October as I’ve heard lovely things.
Your best bet, though, is right now; I do silly videos on YouTube. I’d suggest the one about Shia Labeouf (asked what he would do if he was really tiny and small) and the one about Race for Life. (Ed: watch them here.)
