Stand up comic uses music to orchestrate audience laughter
A FORMER Poynton schoolboy is forging a career as a double bass playing comedian.
Jim Tavare grew up in Macclesfield and went to Poynton High.
He trained at RADA, the famed acting school, before branching out into stand-up comedy.
This has developed into a unique act where he appears in tails and a white tie to play his double bass.
He said: “I bought my first double bass from my school because no one wanted to play it. It was just stuck in there getting dust.
“Because of that, I’ve combined theatre, music and comedy in one show.”
Tavare’s first film appearance was as a student in Another Country (1984) with Rupert Everett and Colin Firth.
Many years later he starred in a series of short, silent films for BBC2 titled Jim Tavaré Pictures Presents and had a skit series on Channel Five, co-written with Ricky Gervais, called The Jim Tavaré Show.
His most high profile role was as Tom, the owner of the Leaky Cauldron, in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
He’s got a few prizes on his mantelpiece too, including a prestigious BAFTA for comedy screen writing.
Now LA-based the comic still values the opportunity to get in front of a comedy club audience.
Jim, who has appeared three times at the Royal Variety Performance in front of the queen, said: “If you’ve got the skill it seems mad not to do it.
“It’s certainly not about the money, but I get very itchy and depressed if I don’t do stand up. I think the awkwardness of the instrument means people appreciate you have a passion there, and then they think it’s funny that it makes your life difficult, carrying this great big wardrobe around.”