What our show is made of

Published on Wednesday 12 August 2009 19:02

BY NewsRevue

NEWS

We've been around for 30 years now, and we're constantly producing new material with a new cast of actors, musical director and director every six weeks throughout the year. This year we allowed ourselves one all-time favourite to resurrect in our 30th anniversary show. Always a crowd pleaser, it's Shitty Shitty Railways to the tune of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang reworked by veteran NewsRevue writer Martin Baum.

WIGS

Where would NewsRevue be without wigs! Even budding Rory Bremners and Alistair McGowans (both of them have appeared in NewsRevue over the years) can do with a little help from their synthetic friends. That said, Adam Buchanan in this year's show is so dedicated that he chopped off his long-ish blond locks and dyed them dark brown to play Gordon Brown.

TALENT

The NewsRevue audition is legendary. Our cast members are asked to perform an entertaining song a capella, then to read a script whilst being asked to swap from RP to, say, general American to Welsh to Glaswegian. We go through the accents listed on their CV so woe betide anyone telling porkies! Then they're asked to read the same script as anyone in the public eye from Brown to Beckham to Barack Obama. Before their interview they're subjected to some improvisation where they could be asked to imagine they're a really nice serial killer, or be an inept politician trying to explain away their expenses claims.

IRREVERENCE

This year, by performing in a former church, we're crossing boundaries we've never crossed before. With over 40 songs, gags and sketches there's something for everyone and we always aim to pick "legitimate" targets.

&#149 NewsRevue 30th Anniversary is at the Pleasance Courtyard, 6pm, until 31 August.