Today's guest is Dave Johns, one of the most respected and best loved stand up comics working on the British comedy circuit.
Dave is also a multi-award winning film and stage actor and is probably best known for his breakthrough role in Ken Loach's critically acclaimed film 'I, Daniel Blake' which won the coveted Palme D'Or Award at the Cannes Film Festival and was also winner of the BAFTA for the Most Outstanding British Film.
In this episode, we talk about Dave's early life as a bricklayer, his love of improvisational comedy and how after a visit to the Comedy store in London in the late 80's, he started his own comedy club in Newcastle, booking the likes of Jo Brand and Steve Coogan who were on their own ascent at the time.
We also talk about Dave's role in the Edinburgh Fringe production of 12 angry men in 2003 (which starred fellow comedians Bill Bailey, Stephen Frost and Jeff Green), his West End stage run in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, alongside Christian Slater and his own stage adaptations of Stephen King's 'Rita Heyworth and the Shawshank Redemption' as well as 'I, Daniel Blake'.
There are some great anecdotes, particularly around Dave's experiences at the Cannes Film Festival, including conversations with Donald Sutherland and Stephen Spielberg.
I had about 90 minutes with Dave - but I genuinely think we could have easily recorded 4 or 5 episodes worth of material and we would still only have scratched the surface of Dave's amazingly rich life in comedy, stage, television and film....but, I hope this captures a flavour of both his career and life outlook.
Thanks to Dave for the time and generosity and a special thanks to Joyce Jobe for helping set up this chat and I hope you enjoy the episode.
Dave Johns: https://davejohns.net/
Ken Loach: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Loach
I, Daniel Blake: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I,_Daniel_Blake
I, Daniel Blake (Trailer): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahWgxw9E_h4
Melbourne Festival: https://www.melbournefestival.co.uk/
Edinburgh Festival: https://www.eif.co.uk/
Edinburgh Festival Fringe: https://www.edfringe.com/
Whose Line is It Anyway? https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0163507/
Sarah Millican: https://sarahmillican.co.uk/my-tour-has-started/
North East Culture Award: https://necultureawards.com/northeastcultureawards2024/en/page/home
Cannes Film Festival: https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/
B.F.G (Film): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZ0Bey4YUGI
Sunday for Sammy: https://www.sundayforsammy.org/
Norther Stage: https://northernstage.co.uk/
The Comedy Store: https://thecomedystore.co.uk/
Friday Night Live: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturday_Live_(British_TV_programme)
Ben Elton: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Elton
Jo Brand: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jo_Brand
Frank Skinner: https://www.frankskinnerlive.com/
Amando Iannucci: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armando_Iannucci
Guy Masterson: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Masterson
12 Angry Men: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/12_Angry_Men_(1957_film)
Nica Burns: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nica_Burns
Christian Slater: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000225/
Stephen King: https://stephenking.com/index.html
Rita Heyworth and the Shawshank Redemption:
Olivier Gaumet: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olivier_Gourmet
23 Walks: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9699620/
