Mervyn Stutter

By Mervyn Stutter

Been doing this entertainment mullarkey since 1974 now. That’s 41 years in showbiz. Still standing! Still working! I’ve spread wide though - actor, comedian, singer, songwriter, script writer, director Celebrating 30 years on the Edinburgh Fringe this year and 25 years of my showcase - MERVYN STUTTER’S PICK OF THE FRINGE. Now the longest running show on the Fringe. My annual awards - THE SPIRIT OF THE FRINGE AWARDS now affectionately known as the MERVS I’m told - is also 25 years old this year. I shall be hosting a huge celebratory Gala of top talent to celebrate and raise - all proceeds to Imibala a Cape Town charity for township kids. My wife Moira was the producer of my showcase for first 5 years and now works for this charity, so it makes total sense!

So - I started in theatre in 1974 and acted and wrote scripts and theatre songs and directed for around 14 or so years - 7:84 (England), Nottingham Playhouse, Stratford East, Dukes Playhouse Lancaster, Library Theater Manchester, Chester Gateway, Coventry TIE, Theatre Foundry, Theatre Mobile to name a few.

Then lots of TV stuff in 1980’s beginning with the first ever BBC Daytime show called OPEN AIR with the much-missed Pattie Coldwell and a very thin Irishman called Eamonn Holmes. I was the regular topical song bloke.

Did many more TV current affairs programmes with weekly topical songs then moved onto Radio with more of the same - LOOSE ENDS, IT’S BEEN A BAD WEEK, HAYES ON SUNDAY, AFTER HOURS (BBC Radio 5),

Also did my stint in TV soaps in the late 1980s - ALBION MARKET and EASTENDERS, plus I lectured in Comedy and Theatre at ROSE BRUFORD COLLEGE

Worked on Comedy Circuit in late 1980s and early 1990s doing comedy songs but as I wanted to do complete songs in my act as well as quickies I chose to play more theatrical spaces. This started when I did my first ever Edinburgh Fringe in 1986. (I have been there ever since) The wonderful thing about the Fringe as many circuit comedians soon discover, is that you are not an unknown on a bill, but rather that people have bought a ticket to see you and only you - even if they have no idea what you are like. They are prepared to sit and listen to you rather than bellow abuse within the first minute.

In 1988, I got married to the lovely Moira Downie, had a son Alfie in 1994 and because I did not want to miss out on him growing up, I cut down the touring and tried for more radio. This led to me doing lots of weekly songs on radio shows eg 2 years on BBC Radio 5 AFTER HOURS and 2 years of topical songs with Brian Hayes on BBC Radio 2 each Sunday morning. On the back of that work Jim Moir, the then new Controller of BBC Radio 2, gave me my own comedy series dedicated to all Menopausal Flower Children everywhere called LOVE 40 - NEW BALLS PLEASE. I co-wrote and starred in all three series of that show which went out on Thursday nights and Saturday lunchtimes each week and was made by Celador and directed by Dirk Maggs

Soon after I got a new sitcom on BBC Radio 4 called GETTING NOWHERE FAST. I wrote and starred in all three series of that show which went out at first at 11.30am each morning and was then repeated a few months later at 6.30pm. We got huge audiences at 11.30 in the morning during the second series, as big as the Today programme and also the News Quiz at 6.30pm. (Hope the BBC stats were correct!) The show is still being repeated on BBC Radio 4 Extra, due - I’m pleased to say - to audience demand. Hurrah!

The big difference for me in those shows was that they had their foot firmly in the radio comedy tradition of my youth but were very current and about the Baby Boomers getting older. From the audience responses and from emails I still get and from the people I meet even now while out touring, it is clear that the audience thoroughly enjoyed the shows for the same reasons. The shows were also punctuated with comedy rock songs and pastiches of Sixties hits. After all what else should the Flower Child hero of the piece be but a singer songwriter. Couldn’t move for them back then!

I wrote and starred in 3 plays for BBC Radio 4 over the next few years, GOING TROPPO, WATERLOO SUNSET and DAVE THE DEAD LEFTY. (See radio page) Plus many features and documentaries, including the first ever 4 Parter on the legendary Light Programme’s WORKERS PLAYTIME

Over the last 10 years and overlapping the GETTING NOWHERE FAST series, I have been out touring the villages of England on the National Rural Touring Circuit. I wasn’t sure to start with whether I would be right for this but immediately realised that in a village hall on a Friday and Saturday night the majority of the audience will mostly be over 40. Hurrah!

This means that my material works perfectly for this audience plus all my casual life references are not lost on them either, as they were there too! From the political to the personal they understand and enjoy. Doing my shows for this audience is not just great fun for all of us but also an act of solidarity. Why?......

                                WE ARE MANY & THEY ARE FEW!