A theatre is braced for an evening of comedy chaos as double act Peacock and Gamble’s Emergency Broadcast UK tour arrives in North Wales.
The comedy duo Ray Peacock and Ed Gamble are set to take the Stiwt Theatre, Rhos by storm on Saturday, December 10.
Their arrival comes hot on the heels of their Chortle Award 2011 nomination for the Peacock and Gamble Podcast and a hit run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
The pair are raring to go as they return to the stage following a couple of weeks off touring duo to television filming commitments.
Ray Peacock, who hails from Warrington and is a fanatical supporter of St Helen’s RFL Club, says that after a couple of weeks of not performing live, anything could happen when they walk back on stage.
He said: “We could end up backed in a corner and who knows what will happen, certainly, we have no idea. But I do know that whatever does happen it will be hilarious. Now that is something I can guarantee.
“Audiences coming to our shows should expect the unexpected. It certainly isn’t intellectual stuff, just mad, childish, silly and way, way over the top but above all else, very funny – at least we think it is!”
Ed Gamble added: “It’s a bit ramshackle and we do fly by the seat-of-our-pants but so far the tour has been a great hit and we are really enjoying it.
“We have had a couple of weeks off while we’ve been filming some stuff for the telly but we are both looking forward to getting back on stage and performing in front of a live audience. You can’t beat the rush you get from performing live.
“I haven’t performed in North Wales before and I’m really looking forward to it and the Stiwt, although I can’t pronounce the name, at least not properly, sounds like a really great theatre.”
Ray Peacock, who has appeared previously at the Stiwt as a solo performer, added: “Audiences are pretty much the same right across the country, apart from at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival where they seem to dissect and forensically study everything you do on stage.
“But our comedy seems to go down the same whether we are playing Sunderland or Barry, South Wales. It’s just chaotic and a bit, well actually a lot, crazy and very, very, funny even if I do say so myself.”
The madcap pair got together at Durham University after Ray Peacock was booked to compere a show in which Ed Gamble was performing.
Ed said: “That was it really I just thought he needed someone to look after him in his old age. We worked together, did some writing together and ended up at the Edinburgh Fringe.
“We took part in the Festival’s longest running group comedy show, The Comedy Zone, and had a pretty good reaction. We then began our Peacock and Gamble Podcast which is released every Monday for free on iTunes and chortle.co.uk”
Both Peacock and Gamble also work as solo performers and have their own projects but working as a duo is something they admit they get a real buzz out of.
Ray said: “It’s a different way of working and you get to collaborate and bounce ideas around. It’s amazing how you can write something and yet your partner comes up with a new angle and all of a sudden it ends up even funnier.”
Ed, who hails from south London, added: “We do have individual projects and that’s important. However, we work well as a duo and, being equally as mad as each other, we get to jointly develop ideas and for us that just works.”
Ray chipped in: “Everything we do is absolutely hilarious but there is nothing intellectual about it. If anyone thinks our comedy is observational or has some sort of message to it they need to see a phyciatrist.”
And while they enjoy their debut UK tour the funny duo will soon be gracing our TV screens.
Ed Gamble said: “I have been working on Russell Howard’s Good News Show, which goes out on BBC Three. I have also supported Greg Davies and Russell Kane on tour and filmed for Greg’s latest DVD which has just been released.
“I’ve also been writing jokes for Mock the Week and Ask Rhod Gilbert while Ray and I have been writing something together which is at the pilot stage and we have been filming that recently too.”
Ray Peacock said: “I’ve been filming the next series of Not Going Out with Lee Mack. I have been the audience warm up artist for the show for a while but have actually landed a part in this series, which is brilliant.
“I’ve also done some work on Russell Howard’s Good News Show and as an actor I’ve had roles in Doctor Who, Skins, Harry Hill’s TV Burp and the 11 O’clock Show among others.
“And I continue working as an audience warm up for shows such as Miranda, The Graham Norton Show, Lee Mack’s All Star Cast and loads of others which is something I really enjoy.”
Peacock and Gamble appear at the Stiwt Theatre, Rhos on Saturday, December 10. For ticket information contact the Box Office on 01978 841300 or visit www.stiwt.co.uk
