Little Britain Live

It's about nine thirty in the evening, and I'm watching the final few moments on the stage, as a bunch of garishly-clad men and women in skin tight PVC cavort around on stage singing "I'm gay, so deal with it!" to the tune of 'Go West'.

No, don't worry, you haven't just clicked on the wrong review, I'm not about to start raving about the Rocky Horror Picture Show (I'll save that until later). I'm watching the finale of the Little Britain Live tour, sat perched high up in the National Indoor Arena. Below me, right out in front, Daffyd Thomas and friends are parading around the stage, closing yet another successful (as long as you can overlook the fluffing of lines and cues) show.

And what a show!

For those of you who don't know, Matt Lucas and David Walliams took time off from shooting for a fourth series of Little Britain in order to bring their creation to, yes you've guessed it, the 'people of Britain'.

This does of course mean, we can't be expecting a tightly run ship. I lost count of how many times the guys burst out laughing in the middle of a sketch, or got sidetracked and forgot where in the sketch they were. For example:

[During a MR MANN and ROY sketch]

[MATT reaches for his moustache, and happens to cover his mouth at the same time]
MR MANN/ DAVID WALLIAMS: Was that a particularly dodgy moustache, Mr Lucas, or are you trying not to laugh?
ROY / MATT LUCAS: No, no, I'm not laughing [said whilst he's grinning]

[A moment later]

ROY: Margaret....Margaret?!

[A drunken woman down in the audience yells something intelligable up to him]

WALLIAMS: [Comes out of character] Wrong Margaret...that's a p****d up Brummie.
LUCAS: [Loses all self control and really starts to laugh. It quickly becomes obvious that the pair of them cannot remember where in the sketch they are] Oh god, we've just really f****d up in front of ten and a half thousand people...
WALLIAMS: [Fights for self control, and attempts to get back into the sketch. Cannot resist coming out with this next line, drawing a huge laugh from the audience] I'm watching the tapes back later.

Lucas and Walliams pulled out all the stops to provide us with all of our favourite characters, and indeed our favourite guest stars.

Sadly, Tom Baker wasn't present in body, merely in voice as the accompanyment to the video-screen footage that provided the backdrop to the stage. However, Anthony Head was indeed present, and when he took to the stage for the 'Sebastian and the Prime Minister' sketch, was greeted to a round of applause rivalled only by the shocked and/or appreciative (for some) cheers and claps from the audience, when Walliams stripped naked for the same sketch.

And of course, Lucas and Walliams had a whole range of supporting cast to choose from throughout the night. Us. The audience.

Instead of having an invisible line seperating the audience from the performers, the pair took that line, and gave it the night off. Some of the members of the front few rows must have been dreading the moment one of the two went towards the stage steps.

Members of the audience had sweets stolen from them (Andy), were given lollies (Des Kay), threatened with the vomit machine (oh yes, we had Judy and Maggie on stage, with a surprisingly co-operative vomit machine), pulled on stage to be humiliated by Marjorie Dawes and assaulted by Anne.

The cameras were even unrelentless during the intervals. They caught one man picking his nose, a pair of flashers and people eating the messiest foods possible. it's not until you see someone pick their nose, and shrug off the fact they've just been applauded by an entire arena, that you realise some people have no shame. I sat in my seat wishing I were further towards the front, even though if I'd have been pulled onto the stage I'd have been abused beyond all belif (the pair were ruthless to the audience, and the audience loved it) I'd have loved every minute of it...that and I'd have been tempted to pull a wig or two off. That being said however, every person who was pointed out by the guys did get goodies as a thank you.

This is what's so special about the show. Lucas and Walliams know they can rely on the audience to play along, no matter what.

And it's this factor that makes the show so special. Everybody is in the same room with one purpose in common - to have fun. And for the two hours that the curtain is raised, there's never a dull moment.

The tour is on until the end of the year, if I remember rightly, and is well worth a watch, whether you're a die-hard fan, or an occasional viewer.

I've rambled enough now, I think, and so, I shall bid you adieu. Good bye bye.