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.
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net