Putting comedy and music together is probably one of the scariest things I’ve done
Comedy favourite Alistair McGowan tells MARION McMULLEN how TV’s Countdown inspired his new classical piano tour
Do you come from a musical background?
MY mum and my sister played a lot, but I didn’t warm to it or to my teacher or music like Drummer Goes Up The Hill.
I found it boring and silly so I had not played since I was seven or eight. I’d hear music I loved later though and thought ‘why did I give it up?’ So four years ago I thought ‘Alright, let’s have a go’.
Your debut album, The Piano Album, topped the classical charts last year. You’re now 53, do you think it is harder learning to play when you are older?
THE finger dexterity and memory is harder, but that’s offset by the desire to learn so much. You quickly learn what you can do best.
The piano sat unloved at home for 15 years before I started playing again. As soon as the album came out, people were asking me if I was going to do a show.
There are a hundred better piano players than me in my street, let alone the whole country, but I think this show is pretty unique.
How would you describe the tour?
THE tour is a whole new way of presenting classical piano music. Possibly, the first classical piano recital to intersperse romantic music with a little comedy.
As well as having the chance to share my own versions of the stories of composers and the extraordinary music they write, I simply can’t have a room full of people and not have some fun with my current favourite impressions too.
It should be the first show in which you can hear Harry Kane alongside the music of George Gershwin and Jacob Rees Mogg between pieces by Edvard Grieg.
As well as being light-hearted, I hope these shows introduce people to some wonderfully romantic music and demonstrate to anyone who harbours a secret ambition to take up music, that it really is never too late.
How did the show come about?
IT came from Countdown. I’ve done the show for a lot of years and if you are the guest you are expected to tell a funny story.
I had run out of material and thought ‘Why not talk about composers?’ and some of the audience came up afterwards and said how interesting it had been and that gave me the idea to do a show.
Doing comedy and music together is probably one of the scariest things I’ve done.
It’s a real high wire act for me. When I was little I wanted to be a juggler or circus performer. Then the impressions came along and
I would practice and practice and impressions are still a part of my life.
I will be getting match-ready later this year when I will be touring with Jasper Carrott.
What impressions do people always ask for?
DAVID Beckham, Richard Madeley and Dot Cotton are always in the top three, but I don’t do them anymore.
I’m doing people like Piers Morgan, Jacob Rees Mogg and the TV doctor Michael Moseley.
On the tour I can mention that composer Grieg was a huge tennis fan and then go into a Roger Federer routine before coming back to the music. Impressions are always about who people are talking about, but I have no interest in something like Love Island.
How much piano practice have you managed to fit in for the tour?
AS much as I can. It’s only been about two hours a day recently because I’ve been doing The Week That Wasn’t programme for Sky Television and that has been nine-hour days. I didn’t know the Sky job would be so quite so demanding. I’m finding The Man I Love by Gershwin, arranged by Percy Grainger, the hardest to play. (Laughs) I thought it would be easier than it is. My wife told me I was doing it too quickly. It’s quite a show-off piece, but I was showing off before I got the basics. It might be left on the subs bench though and not make it the show.
I will be playing 16 pieces on tour and I’ve been practising about 18 or 19 so a couple of them will not make it. Some I’ve just been learning this year. (Laughs) Most pieces are quite slow.
What would be your perfect day?
I LOVE to swim. I only do backstroke because I love to lie on my back and meditate in the water.
I also find cycling enjoyable or just sitting and not doing an awful lot. Not looking at a computer screen, or television or even a book.
I’m a huge nature fan as well so just being outdoors is something I always enjoy.
GO to alistairmcgowan.co.uk for full list of tour dates for Introductions To Classical Piano.
It should be the first show in which you can hear Harry Kane alongside the music of George Gershwin Alistair McGowan will be doing his latest impressions while playing piano in his new show