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