Alan Partridge - Alpha Papa

[BadFish]

I saw that too. I wasn't expecting him to be a barrell of laughs off stage, but at times he was almost Brent-like when he was doing his PR gigs in the hotspots of the M4 corridor!

I think it's fairly well known that he has or had frustrations or even a sense of mis-justice that none of his other characters took off as well as AP.

I suppose it would be as much of it is written by Armando Iannucci.

 

[Nibble]

Mid Morning Matters, sets the scene for the film.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Anddn_DbOK8&list=PL64FBCCC09BB2D015

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

I've not seen the film yet but I adore I'm Alan Partidge. Its up there with Fawlty Towers, The Office, The Thick of It and Blackadder as the finest British comedy known to man.

However, I watched Steve Coogan: Stand Up Down Under on Sky Atlantic last night, and Coogan did not come across well. Its a fly-on-the-wall thing following him on a tour of Australia and New Zealand to some small-ish venues, and he clearly hated every minute of it. Morose, miserable, self-obsessed and whiney, he almost came across as a parody of his Partridge character, and despite his efforts at being funny and ironic to the camera, off stage he was anything but.

At one point they showed him on stage delivering one of his jokes as one of his other characters, which went something like:

"A bloke down our road won the lottery the other day. I went down there to congratulate him and said 'oh you must be so sick of people you barely know coming up to you now pretending to be your friend eh ?'. To which he replied 'who are you' ??."

This was met with a toe-curling, stony silence from the audience. Coogan came off stage and was incredulous at this. "Its like the Village of the Damed here. No reaction, nothing, not so much as a titter". Errr Steve, thats probably because it was a bit shit.

Felt a bit sad for him. I really don't think Coogan can do anything well except Partridge, which probably pisses him off to be fair. All his other characters are shite.

Nope. There was (and is) plenty of mileage in Saxondale.

And I remember the stories circulating about this tour when he was down under, I was worried having heard the "shit" reviews he was getting, but by the time he came to the UK and Brighton he had tightened it up considerably.

Plus if I remember rightly the tour was entitled Steve Coogan as Alan Partridge and other characters. It disappointed me there was no Tony Ferrino but there you go. I think down under hadnt experienced Paul and Pauline Calf, Saxondale etc

Having now met him (name dropper) I have to say you could tell he was quite tired from the Partridge publicity but he was ready to pose for photos, chat and was quite a humble and dare I say it self conscious man. Maybe it was the drugs.

 

[MattBackHome]

Yeah I really like Saxondale too. And The Trip was excellent.

But AP is head and shoulders above everything else he's done.

 

[Easy 10]

Nope. There was (and is) plenty of mileage in Saxondale.

And I remember the stories circulating about this tour when he was down under, I was worried having heard the "shit" reviews he was getting, but by the time he came to the UK and Brighton he had tightened it up considerably.

Plus if I remember rightly the tour was entitled Steve Coogan as Alan Partridge and other characters. It disappointed me there was no Tony Ferrino but there you go. I think down under hadnt experienced Paul and Pauline Calf, Saxondale etc

Having now met him (name dropper) I have to say you could tell he was quite tired from the Partridge publicity but he was ready to pose for photos, chat and was quite a humble and dare I say it self conscious man. Maybe it was the drugs.

Hmm..would have to agree to disagree then. I don't find any of Coogans other characters remotely funny.
Partridge just comedy genius though. Its on a different level, so far above anything else he's ever done that it overshadows everything. I would expect 90% of people going to see his show are patiently waiting for him to finish doing Saxondale, Paul / Pauline Calf, Ferrino etc so they can enjoy the main event of Partridge.

Hell, even Coogan himself looks and sounds like a poor mans Partidge, I can't think of him as anything else. He reminds me of Andy in Extras - tethered to an idiotic character he now despises doing, but cannot escape because without him, he has no career.

 

[Wilko]

Hmm..would have to agree to disagree then. I don't find any of Coogans other characters remotely funny.
Partridge just comedy genius though. Its on a different level, so far above anything else he's ever done that it overshadows everything. I would expect 90% of people going to see his show are patiently waiting for him to finish doing Saxondale, Paul / Pauline Calf, Ferrino etc so they can enjoy the main event of Partridge.

Hell, even Coogan himself looks and sounds like a poor mans Partidge, I can't think of him as anything else. He reminds me of Andy in Extras - tethered to an idiotic character he now despises doing, but cannot escape because without him, he has no career.

Have you seen The Trip? Lovely stuff.

 

[Wilko]

Hmm..would have to agree to disagree then. I don't find any of Coogans other characters remotely funny.
Partridge just comedy genius though. Its on a different level, so far above anything else he's ever done that it overshadows everything. I would expect 90% of people going to see his show are patiently waiting for him to finish doing Saxondale, Paul / Pauline Calf, Ferrino etc so they can enjoy the main event of Partridge.

Hell, even Coogan himself looks and sounds like a poor mans Partidge, I can't think of him as anything else. He reminds me of Andy in Extras - tethered to an idiotic character he now despises doing, but cannot escape because without him, he has no career.

Incorrect. He explained last night how he loves Partridge and that he watches it back and finds the character really funny too.

 

[Nibble]

I think he accurately titled the show "Alan Partridge and other less successful characters". Which I thought showed endearing self awareness.

 

[Easy 10]

Have you seen The Trip? Lovely stuff.

No, not caught that one. I'll see if I can find it.

Incorrect. He explained last night how he loves Partridge and that he watches it back and finds the character really funny too.

Maybe I'm reading too much into how pissed off he was offstage in the programme last night then. But he did not look like a man enjoying his work.

 

[Tomnorthi]

 

[MattBackHome]

[yt]K8BPP4ASQWo[/yt]

 

[Butch Willykins]

Saw it last night and enjoyed it, although nothing will beat "I'm Alan Partridge" series 1 for me.

I'm convinced that Mark Cavendish appears near the very end. See if you can spot him.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

Incorrect. He explained last night how he loves Partridge and that he watches it back and finds the character really funny too.

Exactly because apart from the last 12 months there hasnt really been much Patridge. Once the static home series finished there has been the odd comic relief skit or whatever, mid morning matters on the web (prior to the sky series) and thats it. Last 12 mts has seen MMM on Sky, the autobiog and the film.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

I think he accurately titled the show "Alan Partridge and other less successful characters". Which I thought showed endearing self awareness.

Yes thats it. Thanks Nibble. He also finished with the song "Im a ****" and he had it on big letters in the background.

 

[WhingForPresident]

Coogan has done so well to keep Partridge as Partridge over the years. Welcome to the Place of My Life was class, looking forward to this a lot!

 

[sully]

I saw the film at the marina last night. Thought it was really good.
One of those you might spot a few extra laughs on subsequent viewings. For instance, my wife missed the reflection of his laptop screen in his glasses when he was in his shed.

 

[W.C.]

I saw the film yesterday afternoon and it was very funny. Such a strange thing to call a film nowadays, so few produced that are out and out comedies. Barely a soft moment in it, not horribly watered down, and generally amusingly foul. Meade liked.

Excellent. Glad you liked it. Am a massive Partridge nerd, but am in Japan so can't see it. Was worried it wouldn't be any good but the clips I've seen have been great.

 

[RowleyBirkinQ.C(deceased)]

So glad you all agree, Alpha Papa is superb. Love the seagull bit at the end

 

[danielson81]

Off to see it later, can't wait.

Got a few of these to take with us:

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

I reviewed it as a stand alone comedy. If you are a Partridge fan I would imagine you will be raving about it. Watch out for the opening credits with Partridge doing his thing in the mirror of his Car to Roachford on the radio. Very funny.