AN EVENING WITH DAVID NOBBS
David Nobbs, the comedy genius behind blockbuster TV series “The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin” and David Jason’s “A Bit of a Do” is about to launch his own stage career. “An Evening with David Nobbs” will be touring venues throughout his adopted county of Yorkshire, including a visit to Rotherham College on Thursday October 10.
In his first one-man show he’ll be reflecting on the funny side of a lifetime of comedy writing and recalling his experiences working with many of the country’s leading comedians.
David is looking forward particularly to his visit to Rotherham as his writing career effectively began in the town as a trainee journalist working for the Sheffield Star over 50 years ago. In fact his first day as a reporter in Frederick Street, Rotherham, features prominently as a major influence on his lifetime of comedy writing. After his introduction to journalism in Rotherham and Sheffield, David’s break-through in comedy was as a contributor to the iconic 60’s satire show, “That Was The Week, That Was”. He went on to write for Frankie Howerd, Ken Dodd, Dick Emery, Kenneth Williams, Jimmy Tarbuck and The Two Ronnies (and no, he didn’t write the Four Candles sketch but he was responsible for Ronnie Barker’s “Mispronunciation” routine.)
But it was with the Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin series, starring Leonard Rossiter, that he achieved his greatest success with three novels and three television series notching up regular audiences of 15 million.
The tour is largely Yorkshire-based in acknowledgement of David’s long association with the county although he’ll also be taking in a handful of North East dates as he and his wife have relatives in the area.
Born and raised in the south of England, David’s first introduction to the broad acres came in the early 50’s when at the age of 18 he arrived at Catterick Camp to start his National Service.
Five years later, with National Service and a degree at Cambridge completed, David returned to Yorkshire for a job as a trainee reporter on the Sheffield evening paper, The Star. He later returned to the county as Comedy Script Editor for Yorkshire Television. Although the job was based in London, David travelled to Leeds every week for the show as script editor for no less than 68 editions of “Sez Les” Dawson.
Further success came with the YTV series of a Bit of a Do, starring David Jason. Although the comedy drama was firmly rooted in Yorkshire, David was asked initially to change the setting to Essex. “I refused,” he explained, “The speech had to be utterly Yorkshire.” The result was audiences of up to 15 million David’s earlier years in Yorkshire also influenced his Henry Pratt series with “Second Last in the Sack Race ” set in the mythical town of Thurmarsh - an amalgam of Thurcroft and Rawmarsh, both close to where he’d worked as a reporter in Rotherham.
The life of a young reporter in South Yorkshire was chronicled in the second of the series, “Pratt of the Argus”, and all three have been adapted for the stage and produced at the West Yorkshire Playhouse.
The Yorkshire connection also led to David meeting his wife Susan, a Pudsey lass, and their decision, 25 years ago, to make the county their permanent home. Originally settled in Burton Leonard, they moved to Harrogate two years ago, which will be handy when his tour of “An Evening with David Nobbs” plays Harrogate Theatre on Sunday October 6 as part of the town’s Comedy Festival.
But after a lifetime of comedy writing, what’s the thinking behind his decision to go on tour? “To explore Yorkshire and make people laugh at the same time,” he says, “Who could refuse?”
TOUR DATES
Thurs Sept 26 Orangery, WakefieldFri Sept 27 Town Hall, Selby
Sat Sept 28 Junction, Goole
Sun Sept 29 Lamproom Theatre, Barnsley
Wed Oct 2 Gala Theatre, Durham
Fri Oct 4 Ropeworks, Barton upon Humber
Sat Oct 5 Helmsley Arts Centre
Sun Oct 6 Harrogate Theatre
Thurs Oct 10 Rotherham College Theatre
Mon Oct 14 Bridlington Spa
Fri Oct 18 Holy Trinity Church, Leeds
Sat Oct 19 Customs House, South Shields
Sun Oct 20 Queen’s Hall, Hexham
For further information or interviews please contact:
Geoff Sargieson
Tour Manager
or
EMail:
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