A man of many contradictions

Comedian Hal Cruttenden is a man of many contradictions, something he will be dealing with in his latest show.
Hal CruttendenHal Cruttenden
Hal Cruttenden

He brings his new show Straight Outta Cruttenden to the Royal and Derngate on Wednesday November 11.

Hal said: “The show deals with some of the irritations of modern life. It is when you look on Facebook and there are people sharing pictures of their new haircut and it looks dreadful. And none of their friends tell them that it looks awful.

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“As the show is called Straight Outta Cruttenden, I wanted to sound a bit more gangster,” he says laughing heavily. It won’t be the first or last time that either of us laugh throughout the chat.

Hal added: “I wanted to sound a bit tougher because I think everyone thinks that I have a round face and I am jolly and people won’t listen to what I have to say.

“However in a way it is my dream job. I go off on complete tangents and can talk about myself for an hour and a half and have the perfect medium to do it.

“Says the man who is writing a show complaining about people over sharing information,” he says again laughing.

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For someone who comes across as angry about some of the irritations of modern life, he seems to enjoy life and he loves being on the road.

Hal said: “I think for most comedians, the most purest form is going on stage live with the audience. It is your material, your words and you are just entertaining an audience and there is no better feeling.”

He is a familiar face for his appearance on panel shows including Have I Got News For You, Mock the Week and the Great British Bake Off companion show An Extra Slice.

Hal said: “There are a lot of panel shows which I don’t particularly like doing. I won’t name them because I’d like to work.

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“But Extra Slice is one of that I do like to do. It’s a lovely show Bake Off, it’s all about people becoming a perfectionist about the most minute of details. It’s very emotional and it’s all very British and set in a tent.

“I am currently working on a sitcom, which is pie in a sky if it gone on the air. But if I could do some touring with my own stuff, work on a sitcom and do episodes of Extra Slice for a year then that would be my idea of absolute heaven.

“Says the man complaining about modern life,” he adds with a chuckle.

Tickets for the show, starting at 7.45pm, cost from £18 and can be booked by calling the box office on 01604 624811 or visit www.royalandderngate.co.uk for more details.

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