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In deepest Suffolk, comedy’s finest hone their one-liners for assault on Edinburgh In deepest Suffolk, comedy’s finest hone their one-liners for assault on Edinburgh
(about 3 hours later)
It’s 10.30am at Latitude. Tents unzip, queues snake around the showers and rubbish collectors restore order among the mess of burger buns and beer cups. The music doesn’t begin for another two hours, and yet there is already a buzz in the comedy area, where a patchwork of picnic blankets and camping chairs are set up for the long haul.It’s 10.30am at Latitude. Tents unzip, queues snake around the showers and rubbish collectors restore order among the mess of burger buns and beer cups. The music doesn’t begin for another two hours, and yet there is already a buzz in the comedy area, where a patchwork of picnic blankets and camping chairs are set up for the long haul.
“I can’t even think who is on, actually,” admits Caroline Bidewell, from Norfolk, who is one of the early visitors. “But it’s the perfect way to spend a morning, chilling out and having a bit of a giggle.”“I can’t even think who is on, actually,” admits Caroline Bidewell, from Norfolk, who is one of the early visitors. “But it’s the perfect way to spend a morning, chilling out and having a bit of a giggle.”
Latitude, which turns 10 this year, is a festival that prides itself on being the ultimate in cultural cross-pollination: poetry, literature, music and comedy all combine. Its music lineup – including alt-J, Portishead and Noel Gallagher’s Flying Birds – should satisfy its teens and easy listening adult audience. Latitude, which turns 10 this year, is a festival that prides itself on being the ultimate in cultural cross-pollination: poetry, literature, music and comedy all combine. Its music line-up – including alt-J, Portishead and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – should satisfy its teens and easy listening adult audience. But the Suffolk event is not known for its career-defining musical performances, though a surprise appearance by Ed Sheeran last Friday night was much appreciated. What Latitude has learned to do really well is laugh.
But the Suffolk event is not known for its career-defining musical performances, though a surprise appearance by Ed Sheeran was much appreciated. What Latitude has learned to do really well is laugh.
“It’s good to be seen playing here,” says Russell Kane, TV regular and arena headliner, fresh from his packed-out set at the Comedy Arena. “It’s up there with Edinburgh as a place to be seen as well as a place to be seen at.”“It’s good to be seen playing here,” says Russell Kane, TV regular and arena headliner, fresh from his packed-out set at the Comedy Arena. “It’s up there with Edinburgh as a place to be seen as well as a place to be seen at.”
As with all great comedy, the key to success is timing. Hosted in the middle of summer, the festival acts as an excellent warmup for the onslaught of Edinburgh next month. While most bands are dizzied with the exhausting mix of festivals and tours, comedians in July should be, generally speaking, match fit before the fringe. As with all great comedy, the key to success is timing. Hosted in the middle of summer, the festival acts as an excellent warm-up for the onslaught of Edinburgh next month. While most bands are dizzied with the exhausting mix of festivals and tours, comedians in July should be, generally speaking, match fit before the fringe.
With Latitude’s arts curator Tanya Harrison running 13 stages and 524 shows, you’ll find critically celebrated acts, such as Liam Williams, previewing material at the cabaret tent and big-name standups like Jon Richardson in the main comedy arena. With Latitude’s arts curator Tanya Harrison running 13 stages and 524 shows, you’ll find critically celebrated acts such as Liam Williams previewing material at the cabaret tent, and big-name standups such as Jon Richardson in the main comedy arena.
According to promoter Melvin Benn, head of Festival Republic, Latitude is designed to gear its punters towards the alternative entertainment; it’s why the literature and comedy stages are the first many see on arrival, at the heart of the event rather than on the peripheries. “[Latitude] was the first time comedy was taken seriously at a festival. There’s always been comedy at Glastonbury – for many years I’ve had comedy at Reading and Leeds – but it was the first time comedy was a real focus, and a genuine focus, and the comedians liked that they were important. They weren’t a sideshow.” According to promoter Melvin Benn, head of Festival Republic, Latitude is designed to gear its punters towards the alternative entertainment: it’s why the literature and comedy stages are the first many see on arrival, at the heart of the event rather than on the peripheries: “[Latitude] was the first time comedy was taken seriously at a festival. There’s always been comedy at Glastonbury, for many years I’ve had comedy at Reading and Leeds, but it was the first time comedy was a real focus, and a genuine focus, and the comedians liked that they were important. They weren’t a sideshow.”
“For me, it’s the top of the tree,” says Kane, who also headlines V Festival this summer. “You’ve got all of the ego of a Glastonbury-type festival, only with the safety of the middle class, not too pissed – it’s the best of both worlds.” “For me it’s the top of the tree,” says Kane, who also headlines V Festival this summer. “You’ve got all of the ego of a Glastonbury-type festival, only with the safety of the middle class, not too pissed – it’s the best of both worlds.”
This year, fledgling sketch group Massive Dad make their second appearance at the festival. It’s become a part of the comedy calendar, especially for new acts who get to see their names up on a poster alongside the likes of Alan Davies. Their show at Latitude, in front of an audience who have drifted in out of curiosity, is especially important ahead of Edinburgh.This year, fledgling sketch group Massive Dad make their second appearance at the festival. It’s become a part of the comedy calendar, especially for new acts who get to see their names up on a poster alongside the likes of Alan Davies. Their show at Latitude, in front of an audience who have drifted in out of curiosity, is especially important ahead of Edinburgh.
“You want to test it on complete strangers, because if you do a gig in London, then you just get 50 of your friends coming on and going, “Haha! She walked on stage!” says Massive Dad’s Stevie Martin. “You want to do it in front of people who have never seen you before and think that maybe you might be a bit shit, but then you win them over.” “You want to test it on complete strangers because if you do a gig in London you just get 50 of your friends coming in and going ‘Haha! She walked on stage!’” says Massive Dad’s Stevie Martin.
Back at the comedy stage, Funz and Gamez, a hybrid of working men’s club and Mr Tumble, arrives, featuring a host of deranged, slightly knackered children’s entertainers such as Bonzo the Hog and Jim the Elf. It’s a quirky, family-friendly primer for a stage that will see Marcus Brigstocke, Sara Pascoe, Andrew Maxwell, Rob Delaney and David O’Doherty flex their funniness. “You want to do it in front of people who have never seen you before and think that maybe you might be a bit shit but then you win them over.”
But not everybody is happy. “It’s basically 8 Out of 10 Cats plus Mock the Week,” says John O’Brian, from London. There are some really good comedians here like Mark Lamarr, but they’re not doing comedy, they’re DJ-ing and doing other things. Back at the comedy stage, Funz and Gamez, a hybrid of working men’s club and Mr Tumble, arrives, featuring a host of deranged, slightly knackered children’s entertainers such as Bonzo the Hog and Jim the Elf. It’s a quirky, family-friendly primer for a stage that will see Marcus Brigstocke, Sara Pascoe, Andrew Maxwell, Rob Delaney and David O’Doherty flex their funniness. But not everybody is happy.
“Mark Lamarr is a really challenging comedian and not having him on here, that’s a real missed opportunity. He’s very competent and will take on the audience quite happily. Would Latitude react well to that? I don’t know.” “It’s basically 8 Out of 10 Cats plus Mock the Week,” says John O’Brian, from London.
“There are some really good comedians here like Mark Lamarr, but they’re not doing comedy, they’re DJ-ing and doing other things. Mark Lamarr is a really challenging comedian and not having him on here – that’s a real missed opportunity. He’s very competent and will take on the audience quite hap​pily. Would Latitude react well to that? I don’t know.”