The biggest comedy phenomenon, in the best live stage show currently touring being filmed for a Christmas DVD release, well we needed no further encouragement to get in the Tour Bus and travel to Blackpool to see the comedy legends, Walliams and Lucas, strut their stuff. Also at the NIA Birmingham Gig we spoke to Matt and told him we were going to the filming in costume again, he laughed and suggested we go as Mr. Mann and Roy, but alas we couldn't find a Maaaaaaaaaargrettttttttttttt in time.

So, the big day rolled round and we cruised up the country making yet another road trip to go and see our inspiration, only this time it was to be filmed for posterity, well for a Christmas release of a DVD actually but, well, you get the picture.

We had heard about the recording a lot earlier from an insider who told us that David and Matt wanted fans to come dressed ala Rocky Horror, which we thought was an absolutely splendid idea and one which the news picked up on a later.


THE Tickets to THE Little Britain Live DVD Recording Show

We arrived and found our hotel which was conveniently situated opposite the North Pier, a 4 minute walk from the Winter Gardens, which would make getting to the gig with Andy, sorry, Gavin in his chair easier. After a brief bite to eat and a whirlwind change we were good to go, it was 6:40 and the show started at 7:30 plenty of time, or so we thought...

Excuse me but aren't you?
Getting to the gig proved trickier than expected, yes it was a four minute walk to the Winter Gardens. Did it take ius 4 mins? No. There was an uphill gradient and we kept getting stopped for pics every 10 yards, so momentum was hard to keep up. We were then directed to the wrong queue, but the Richard Ashcroft fans didn't seem to mind and we entertained the queue for a few minutes whilst we found out where it was we needed to go for the Little Britain Live DVD Recording Show.

We wheeled ourselves, or rather I wheeled Gavin around the corner and we were met with a fantastic sight, hundreds of Little Britain Live Show fans waiting to see the boys to their bit. Others had made the effort to dress up and all looked great, however as soon as we were in sight we got mobbed, people wanted their pics, wanted us to sign stuff, we tried to deny that we were David and Matt but no one would believe us, the BBC were there filming for a programme going out on the 14th July so check that out, it's a "Fly on the wall" documentry on what it is like for David and Matt performing the stage show Little Britain Live.

We met loads of really nice fans who had come from far and wide to see their comedy heroes strut their stuff live, and were thrilled to get the chance to be in the recording of the show and possibly be on the DVD. John a 6"4" chap from Manchester, who'd come dressed as Bubbles said "It's a complete honour dahling... We love them." And that summed it up, there was a lot of love in the air for David and Matt that evening.

Eventually we had to make our way into the auditorium and find our seats, which is not easy with a wheelchair bound Gavin. The staff at the Winter Gardens looked bemused at all the people in costume and when we parked the wheelchair up there were two others! The lovely Gina, an usher told me "I've never seen anything like it, the only people who usually get dressed up are the Rocky Horror fans, maybe this will be the next Rocky Horror?"
And I have to agree, the range of characters, the absurdness of it all, but most of all the sense of fun (with a hint of devilment!) all adds into a quite exciting mix. When else do most men get the chance to glam up, whack on a frilly frock and ponce about

shouting "I'm a layyy deeeeeee?". Exactly. Gav and I settled into our seats to await the forthcoming merriment. However the fans had other ideas, we kept getting asked to pose for photos and so the poeple next to us had to keep vacating their seats to allow snappers access to us. It was a right Kerfuffle! No one seemed to mind at all and it seemed to add to the whole anticipatory air of the evenings entertainment.

Good Evening Laydeez and Gerbils
Eventually the lights dimmed, the crowd went wild, the curtains billowed and out popped... Ted Robbins or as the Little Britain fans know him, Uncle Teddy, who warmed the crowd up in his own inimitable style, the Lobster/Crab gag had the audience rolling about.

Then we got to the main event, and the crowd went wild. The chaps seemed to really pull out all the stops, every sketch seemed to have a little more pzazz, a little more energy,and dare I say it? A little more life! It was as if they had tweaked the contrast and upped the colour saturation and the intensity. The audience certainly appreciated the effort and laughed harder than we had heard at any of the previous shows. Small changes were made, little girl dressed as a turd, ad libs, Matt as the Dali Lama etc. which really rounded out the show, and the best treat was seing Anthony Head as the Prime Minister, after his guest slot on Dr. Who the previous week it was great to actually see him in the flesh, again (we saw him in the Little Britain Series 3 recordings). It made the whole experience much more enjoyable and so the Little Britain Live DVD will fittingly be a great memento of the Little Britain Live Tour. They had even got the right Myfanwy, played by the sumptious Ruth Jones in the final Daffydd sketch. The whole cast then appropriately capmly dressed performed the "I'm Gay" finale song and the crowd rose, as one to give a massive standing ovation. It was thrilling to see.

Then it was over, and we had to leave, but not before we had seen David and Matt again and so off we wheeled to the backstage area. Only to be shoutred at, along with the other fans for standing in the worng place. Piece of advice for the Stage Management reading, why not have someone let the fans know where to stand, rather than shout at them? Especially as the majority were young kids who were only trying to get a glimpse of their heroes? Enough said.

So we awaited the appearance of the chaps patiently, despite being told, "They've gone", "You're wasting your time" etc... (again, why not just be honest with the fans?). So we ignored that and waited. Eventually we were rewarded with a drive by signing from both David and Matt, but then graciously Anthony Head came out and took time to talk to the fans, pose for photos and generally chat to the assemebled throng. But then he had to go, he was off to Wales, hmmm, all that gay dancing, Wales, hmmm, not Llandewy Breffi by any chance?

So here in all their unexpergated glory is them photos, wot we got tooken. Enjoy.