Channel 4 have today announced the programme line-up for their 2004 Comedy
Lab season, the prestigious comedy showcase series has been
responsible for launching the careers of some of Britain's favourite comics
including, Peter Kay, Jimmy Carr, and Trigger Happy TV's Dom Joly. Now in
it's sixth year it will be hoping to thrust some of the following names into a
similar limelight, while brightening up our Tuesday nights at the same time!
Demetri Martin 10th February
11:05pm
12:21 is a minute in the life of US comedian and Perrier Award
Winner 2003 Demetri Martin. This '24' in reverse offers an insight into
the thoughts, ideas and emotions that pass through Martin's head in a single
minute. His thought processes are exposed whilst on his way to an audition for
which he's already late. Shot in New York, Demetri's inner thoughts
are cleverly illustrated in film, music, drawings and animation over a period of
24 minutes.
Clitheroe 10th February 11:35pm
Is sad,
frightening, ridiculous and exceptionally big - the Frankenstein of all Comedy
Labs. Armed with their extraordinary chemistry co-creators Jalaal
Hartley and Daniel Roberts have concocted a sketch show with an eclectic
consistency for their very first broadcast outing. This innovative show
has a great cast and a very distinctive style.
The Russell Brand 17th February
11:00pm
Welcome to the world of Russell Brand, a world that is weird,
dark and twisted and has all the distinctive characteristics of a David Lynch
film. Russell Brand is sick of the world he lives in, so he sets out to
establish his own society. Russell writes his manifesto and
seeks out to recruit his population. His interview techniques are bizarre,
his pleasure anarchic and his mind patterns diverse as he attempts to understand
the people he speaks to. A show full of monologues, locations and distinctive
themes.
Private Lives 17th February 11:30
When
the Lesser National Film Unit conducted an anthropological experiment, offering
random members of the public £500 each to film their daily lives, it was quite
possible that they hadn't really thought it through. The cameras
they distributed were worth more than £2000 each. Unsurprisingly, most
were never seen again…..but 37 were. Unwittingly, the LNFU had tapped into
the dark underbelly of modern society - a cornucopia of liars, egotists,
neurotics and downright lunatics - for whom the chance to broadcast their
twisted outlook was far more important than a measly couple of grand. Now
the footage is to be aired. See the tapes, see the people, see their
private lives.
Puppet Access TV 17th February 11:45
A
bizarre and fascinating mix of real television programmes and television
personalities, as well as fabric-based life forms. This is the brainchild
of cutting-edge puppeteer Raj Yagnik. This entirely new world of comedy
offers the chance to see some of those favourite TV shows put through Raj's
revolutionary process of puppefication. Antiques Roadshow, Countdown and
The Bill will never be the same again. And watch out for the first ever
use of comedy hand puppets in a porn film.
The Chancers 24th February
11:00pm
Two 'chancers' Chris and Milo set themselves the task of making
a TV programme. Unfortunately, they don't have any ideas. Furthermore they
are complete unknowns, with no connections and no relevant experience.
These problems are compounded by the fact that the guys can't seem to agree on
the smallest detail. Undaunted they decide to chance it. The result
is an intriguing insight into how far you can get in television with nothing
more than hype. Is this programme a comment on contentless programmes or
is it just another half hour of hot air?
Tracy & I 24th February 11:30pm
In
the flickering, bug-killing, blue light of Ranjiv's Takeaway, Miles
Shrigley (Gareth Tunley), aka Miroslav, pines for 'the Indian girl' Tracy
(Barunka O'Shaughnessy) and seeks to protect her purity from the designs of
assorted delivery men. The redundant Graham (Sean Foley) twitches at his
desk while Wendy's voice-synthesiser snarls venom. An hermetic little
world full of longing, misunderstandings and toilet sex.