Johnny Vegas doesn’t so much climb the property ladder as walk under it in this site-specific solo comedy at the Manchester International Festival. Vegas plays Jeffrey Parkin, who’s showing us around his three-bedroom Chorley semi with a view to making a sale. Purr as Parkin flaunts the pan rack, inspired by the Humber Bridge. Coo at his root-wood coffee table. Then blanche as his beer-bellied Sarah Beeny act crumbles, revealing structural flaws in the property-is-God value system. Interiors (co-created with Stewart Lee) is less Location, Location, Location, more Depression, Depression, Depression.
That drama is a long time coming, however. For most of the show’s hour-long duration, it’s just Parkin riffing on property, with diminishing returns. There are choice jokes: Ikea are “flatpack paedophiles, preying on the weak and vulnerable”. And much fun is derived from Vegas’s ad hoc responses to audience questions. Yawning beneath all this is the gulf between Parkin’s self-image as an aspirational Montenegro property magnate and his bathetic provincial reality. One bizarre detour sees him fast-forward his Farinelli: Il Castrato DVD to find the scene he’d turn into a painting for his living-room wall. Parkin, you see, is a world cinema type of guy – albeit one whose sales spiel forever quotes cheesy Hollywood blockbusters.
Something’s got to give, and it does – even if the transition from comedy to tragedy is clunking. A home isn’t about design features, it’s about the relationships between the people living there. And Parkin’s relationships have (for reasons not made clear) fallen foul of the wrecking ball. Vegas and Lee’s demolition of the property fetish is hardly more subtle. But if the theatrical architecture is crude, Vegas brings it to life with extemporising flair. A house isn’t a status symbol, he suggests in this enjoyable situationist curio – it’s somewhere to try and live well.
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube