Frisky & Mannish

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Frisky & Mannish
File:Frisky Mannish Sydney Opera House.jpg
Background information
OriginLondon, England
GenresCabaret, Comedy, Parody music, Pastiche, Pop music, Popular culture
Years active2008–present
MembersLaura Corcoran, Frisky
Matthew Floyd Jones, Mannish
Websitefriskyandmannish.co.uk

Frisky & Mannish is a British musical comedy double act, created and performed by singer Laura Corcoran and pianist-singer Matthew Floyd Jones.[1] Known for their pop music parodies, the duo have toured the fringe festival and comedy festival circuits in the United Kingdom and Australia,[2] and appeared on a number of British television and radio programmes.[3][4][5][6] The act's name derives from two incidental characters mentioned in one couplet of Byron's Don Juan: "Lady Fitz-Frisky, and Miss Maevia Mannish, / Both longed extremely to be sung in Spanish" (Canto XI, LIII.)[7]

Background

Jones was born in south-west London and brought up in Surrey, whilst Corcoran hails from Greater Manchester.[8][9] They first met as undergraduates at Oxford University and began a partnership writing comic songs for the student sketch troupe The Oxford Revue.[10] After graduating, they moved into a shared flat in London.[11] On 5 March 2008, at a music hall-themed fundraiser on a barge in Battersea, Corcoran and Jones decided to "mess around with a few songs," and performed pastiches of "Papa Don't Preach" (as an operatic aria), "Eye of the Tiger" (in a bluegrass style), "I'd Do Anything for Love" (sung by a young child), and "Come On Eileen" (as a heartfelt ballad.)[9][10] Their performance led to a "firm booking for an hour-long show," after which the pair developed a fuller concept and "reverse-engineered some sort of coherent act into existence."[12]

Career

Stage

Their first full-length show, School of Pop (2009), a series of "educational" lessons developed during their monthly residency at Leicester Square Theatre,[7] was described as "the undisputed hit of the Edinburgh Fringe,"[13] garnering thirteen five-star reviews from publications such as Chortle, Edinburgh Evening News, The Herald and Time Out.[14] Their send-up of Noël Coward and Lily Allen was particularly praised.[8][15][16] Kate Nash, whose song "Foundations" they combined with Kate Bush's "Wuthering Heights", attended one of their performances.[17] At the end of the year The Independent featured Frisky & Mannish in a special "Talent 2010" issue as up-and-coming comedians, alongside other rising stars including footballer Jack Wilshere, actress Imogen Poots, politician Nick Boles, musician Eliot Sumner and broadcaster Tulip Mazumdar.[18] A sequel entitled The College Years (2010), based around a central thesis of "collision theory,"[19] premièred at Latitude Festival,[20] and placed second (out of 2453 productions)[21] on Edinburgh Festival Guide's list of top-rated shows.[22] Pop Centre Plus (2011), the final instalment in their "Pop Education" trilogy, was launched at the udderBELLY Festival on South Bank,[17] structured as a careers advice facility.[23] In 2012 they introduced two new shows, Extra-Curricular Activities,[24] and a black comedy called 27 Club, which delved into the eponymous cultural phenomenon.[25] Just Too Much (2014) continued this darker theme, concerning itself with meltdowns in pop.[26] In 2015, inspired by the reaction to their viral short film protesting comments made by Gary Barlow on The X Factor,"[27][28] they created a variety show, Cabariot, featuring guest acts and original songs tackling a range of social issues.[29] After a short hiatus, the pair returned with a tenth anniversary show, PopLab (2019), comprising a series of scientific experiments,[30] and a post-pandemic live-digital hybrid show, PopCorn (2021), inspired by film scores.[31] Despite originating and developing the act in cabaret, circus and variety shows, Frisky & Mannish have managed to establish themselves in stand-up comedy, regularly featured as the musical act on lineups of comedians such as Katherine Ryan,[32] Simon Brodkin,[33] Joel Dommett,[33] Josh Widdicombe,[33] Hannibal Buress,[34] Josie Long,[34] Tom Allen,[35] Margaret Cho,[35] Tim Minchin,[36] Seann Walsh,[36] Richard Herring,[37] Stewart Lee,[37] Aisling Bea,[38] Sara Pascoe,[38] Russell Howard,[6] Rose Matafeo,[6] and Frank Skinner.[6]

Radio

In March 2011, Scott Mills featured a number of Frisky & Mannish songs on BBC Radio 1, which led to several live interviews and performances on the programme,[5][39] and to the writing and recording of "Perfect Christmas Single" (with Mills and co-host Chris Stark) for a Radio 1 Stories documentary in December 2012.[40] They also performed a set during the BBC New Comedy Awards Final 2012 at the Grand Theatre, Blackpool, hosted by Patrick Kielty and broadcast on BBC Radio 2.[41] Their other radio appearances have included BBC Radio 1 (Matt Edmondson),[42] BBC Radio 2 (Jo Whiley),[6] BBC Radio 3 (The Verb),[43] BBC Radio 4 (Sketchorama),[44] BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC 6 Music (Lauren Laverne),[45] and BBC Radio Scotland (MacAulay and Co).[46]

Television

In August 2011, Frisky & Mannish were featured on BBC Two's The Culture Show, performing a comic song about the art of making comic songs with contributions from Adam Kay and Isy Suttie.[3] They also appeared on children's comedy programme Dick and Dom's Funny Business (BBC Two) with Warwick Davis,[47] and variety show Comedy at the Fringe (BBC3) alongside Joe Lycett and Elis James.[48] On the fifth series of Britain's Got Talent in 2011, contestant Edward Reid's performance of nursery rhymes to the tune of Leona Lewis's "Run" was accused of plagiarising Frisky & Mannish's "Wheels on the Bus," a nursery rhyme medley set to Girls Aloud's "Sound of the Underground".[49][50]

Reception

File:Frisky Mannish Harry Hill.jpg
Jones and Corcoran with Harry Hill

Frisky & Mannish have been called "the mad scientists of pop,"[51] performing "shrewdly crafted, expertly delivered and rapturously received observations" with "the tenacity of a Rottweiler and the charm of a Disney prince."[52] They have been positively reviewed in a number of publications such as The Daily Telegraph,[8] The Evening Standard,[53] The Guardian,[15] The Independent,[54] Metro,[55] The Observer,[16] and The West Australian,[56] although several reviewers have confessed to finding the act difficult to describe.[8][57][58] One publication referred to them as the "King and Queen of the Fringe Festival."[24] They have been acclaimed for the skill with which they perform and the cleverness of their observations,[18][59][60][61] whereas negative criticism of their act has tended to focus upon a perceived lack of depth to their material.[62][63][64] In 2011 The Guardian identified Frisky & Mannish as a rare example of a successful mixed-gender comedy duo.[65] Other comedians who have expressed admiration for the act include Shaparak Khorsandi,[66] Ruby Wax,[67] Ed Byrne,[68] Dara Ó Briain,[68] Susan Calman,[69] and Sarah Millican.[70]

Awards

Frisky & Mannish won an Editor's Choice Award at Brighton Fringe, a Best Comedy Award at Adelaide Fringe, and an Entertainmentwise Award at Edinburgh Festival Fringe.[71][72][73] They were runners-up in the final of Hackney Empire New Act of the Year,[74] finalists in the Musical Comedy Awards,[75] and nominees for a Chortle Award (Best Music or Variety Act),[76] Loaded LAFTA Award (Best Newcomer),[77] two Fringe World Awards, and four London Cabaret Awards.

References

  1. ↑ "Frisky & Mannish". Musical Comedy Guide. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  2. ↑ "Frisky & Mannish". mcintyre-ents.com. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "The Culture Show at the Edinburgh Festival". IMDb. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  4. ↑ "Three at the Fringe". IMDb. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Frisky & Mannish perform Girls Aloud and Whigfield... sort of". BBC. 22 March 2011. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 "BBC Radio 2 – Live from the Edinburgh Festivals". BBC. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Tripney, Natasha (13 July 2011). "Interview: Frisky & Mannish". exeuntmagazine.com.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Cavendish, Dominic (19 August 2010). "Edinburgh Festival 2010: Frisky and Mannish interview". The Telegraph. London.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Rudden, Liam (7 August 2009). "Interview: Laura Corcoran and Matthew Jones". Edinburgh Evening News.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Frisky and Mannish interview". British Comedy Guide. 11 April 2011. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
  11. ↑ "Glam rocks: Meet the stars who are taking cabaret mainstream". The Independent. London. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
  12. ↑ Mannish, Frisky &. (19 August 2014). "Frisky & Mannish: taking the beep out of the Pussycat Dolls". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
  13. ↑ "Frisky & Mannish: The College Years". The List. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  14. ↑ "Frisky and Mannish – School Of Pop". The List. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Logan, Brian (20 August 2009). "Frisky and Mannish's School of Pop – Comedy review". The Guardian. London.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Merritt, Stephanie (23 August 2009). "Gild young Lily with a dab of Noël". The Observer. London.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Lamont, Tom (3 July 2011). "Frisky and Mannish: 'It's hard making pop music funnier than it already is'". The Guardian. London.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named jones
  19. ↑ "Fringe Review – Frisky & Mannish: The College Years". Edinburgh Spotlight. August 2010.
  20. ↑ "Latitude – Arts Additions". presscounselpr.com. 23 April 2010.
  21. ↑ Fisher, Mark (10 June 2010). "Edinburgh Fringe programme 2010: my first festival faves". The Guardian. London.
  22. ↑ "Top-rated shows – Edinburgh Festival Guide". The List. Retrieved 27 March 2011.
  23. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named dublin
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 Obank, Emma (23 August 2012). "ED2012 Comedy Review: Frisky and Mannish – Extra-Curricular Activities". Three Weeks.
  25. ↑ Herriot, Brett (21 August 2012). "Frisky & Mannish: 27 Club". Broadway Baby.
  26. ↑ Hutton, Dan (23 July 2014). "Latitude review: Frisky and Mannish, Just Too Much". A Younger Theatre.
  27. ↑ Walters, Ben (19 October 2012). "Cabaret stars make a song and dance about Gary Barlow's X Factor jibes". The Guardian. London.
  28. ↑ Gardner, Lyn (22 October 2012). "What cabaret can teach traditional theatre". The Guardian. London.
  29. ↑ Dickinson, Nerida (15 February 2016). "Frisky and Mannish: CabaRIOT". ArtsHub.
  30. ↑ Chu, Deborah (4 August 2019). "Frisky & Mannish's PopLab". The List.
  31. ↑ "Frisky & Mannish: Popcorn (2021)". IMDb. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
  32. ↑ "United Comedy Festive Warm-Up!". United Agents. 11 May 2009.
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 33.2 "Three@TheFringe". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 Hepple, Joshua (27 August 2012). "Stand Up for Freedom". Broadway Baby.
  35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 "Big C: Big Comedy Gala". Chortle. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 "War on Want's Comedy Gig". timminchin.com. 3 April 2012.
  37. ↑ 37.0 37.1 Howard, Warren (15 December 2012). "Must See: Nine Lessons and Carols for Godless People, Bloomsbury Theatre, London WC1". Independent.
  38. ↑ 38.0 38.1 Smith, Susan (6 August 2014). "Stand up for Shelter hits Edinburgh Fringe". TFN.
  39. ↑ Richardson, Jay (8 July 2011). "Frisky and Mannish interview". The List.
  40. ↑ "The Perfect Christmas Single". BBC. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  41. ↑ "The BBC New Comedy Award 2012 final". BBC. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
  42. ↑ "BBC Radio 1 - Matt Edmondson, Frisky & Mannish". BBC. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
  43. ↑ "BBC Radio 3 – The Verb, 2014 Edinburgh Festivals". BBC. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  44. ↑ "BBC Radio 4 – Sketchorama, Series 1". BBC. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  45. ↑ "BBC Lauren Laverne". BBC. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
  46. ↑ "BBC Edinburgh Festivals 2009 – MacAulay and Co". BBC. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
  47. ↑ "Dick and Dom's Funny Business: Mouse in the House with Warwick Davis". IMDb. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  48. ↑ "Comedy at the Fringe". BBC. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
  49. ↑ "Edward Reid new favourite for Britain's Got Talent victory". Metro. UK. 24 April 2011.
  50. ↑ "Britain's Got Talent star Edward Reid accused of copying comedy duo". British Comedy Guide. 25 April 2011.
  51. ↑ Trueman, Matt (21 July 2011). "Snap, cackle and pop". Fest.
  52. ↑ "Gibraltar Hosts First Comedy Festival Dubbed 'Comedy Rocks'". YGTV. 29 October 2013.
  53. ↑ Dessau, Bruce (27 May 2011). "Simon Cowell would struggle to fault Frisky and Mannish" London Evening Standard.
  54. ↑ Jones, Alice (26 August 2009). "Frisky and Mannish's School of Pop, Underbelly, Edinburgh". The Independent.
  55. ↑ Smith, Damon (5 August 2011). "Voguing all the way to the Fringe" Metro.
  56. ↑ Bahr, Jacqui (11 February 2011). "Review: Frisky and Mannish/The List Operators". The West.
  57. ↑ "Edinburgh 2011: Frisky & Mannish, Pop Centre Plus". Broadway World. 22 August 2011.
  58. ↑ "Frisky and Mannish are Pop Educators and you must attend their classes". dontstopthepop.blogspot.com. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
  59. ↑ Bennett, Steve (14 August 2009). "Frisky and Mannish's School of Pop". chortle.co.uk.
  60. ↑ Eardley, Nick (22 August 2009). "Frisky and Mannish's School of Pop". The Skinny.
  61. ↑ Crawford, Skye (7 August 2009). "Frisky and Mannish School of Pop". fringereview.co.uk.
  62. ↑ Copstick, Kate (16 August 2010). "Comedy review: Frisky and Mannish: The College Years" The Scotsman.
  63. ↑ Clark, Lisa (27 March 2010). "Frisky & Mannish's School of Pop – Australian Comedy Review" thegroggysquirrel.com.
  64. ↑ "Frisky & Mannish's School of Pop". australianstage.com.au. 28 March 2010.
  65. ↑ Logan, Brian (5 April 2011). "Where are comedy's male-female double acts?". The Guardian. London.
  66. ↑ "Edinburgh Festival 2010: Celebrity Choice". The Telegraph. 16 August 2010.
  67. ↑ "My Edinburgh: Ruby Wax, comedian". The Independent. 24 August 2011.
  68. ↑ 68.0 68.1 "Dara Ó Briain". Twitter. 9 August 2019.
  69. ↑ "Susan Calman". Twitter. 14 August 2019.
  70. ↑ "Sarah Millican - Posts". facebook.com. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  71. ↑ Stamp, Richard (30 May 2010). "FringeGuru's Editor's Choices for Brighton 2010". fringeguru.com.
  72. ↑ "Frisky and Mannish Extra Curricular Activities". pinterest.co.uk. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  73. ↑ "Edinburgh Fringe 2014: The Hottest Shows of This Year's Festival". entertainmentwise.com. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  74. ↑ Cook, Tony (1 February 2010). "Hackney Empire New Act of the Year Final 2010 review". The Stage.
  75. ↑ Hughes, Gemma (15 April 2009). "Tuborg Musical Comedy Awards – The London Word". thelondonword.com.
  76. ↑ "And the 2010 nominees are..." chortle.co.uk. 15 February 2010.
  77. ↑ "Loaded LAFTAs 2012 nominees announced". comedy.co.uk. 8 November 2011. Retrieved 10 November 2011.

External links

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