A veteran of the comedy stage at tender age of 27

IT was, says Daniel Sloss, the arrogance of youth that convinced him he could make a living out of comedy at the tender age of 17. 

Born in England, his family moved to Fife when he was a toddler. Aged just 16, he began writing material for the sometimes controversial Frankie Boyle.

A place at Dundee University studying history beckoned, but he decided to take a gap year to see what he could make of comedy.

The university offer was never taken up and at the ripe old age of 27, he has never looked back.

Comedy fans in Barnard Castle will get the chance to see what he's all about when he brings his Now tour to The Witham on Tuesday, November 28. It will be his first visit to the area.

“When I started at 17, I had no opinions. It was funny, but there was no substance to it,” he says.

“As I have grown up, it’s become a lot more honest, talking about my darkest thoughts. I have become more of myself.

“My comedy is described as dark and I understand why it is – I like talking about death and God.”

He has racked up a wealth of experience in a relatively short time – although he points out he has spent more than a third of his life working at it.

In addition to annual shows at the Edinburgh Fringe, he has performed two solo off-Broadway seasons, released a DVD and toured extensively throughout the UK, Australasia, USA and Europe.

TV credits includes Sunday Night at the Palladium, Michael McIntyre's Comedy Road Show, the Rob Brydon Show and many more.

But he warns people not to expect the carefully edited broadcast material. The live experience is something else, he says.

“If easily offended, don’t come to the show. I am the only person who tries to put people off coming to the show,” he jokes.

Coming up with new material for each new show or tour holds no fears.

“It’s always personal – what annoys me, what riles me, personal experience. My comedy is about being an idiot. I never run out of material.”

He enjoys life on the road – wherever that may take him.

“I go to places I never thought I would go to, from Transylvania and Iceland to Estonia, in a really old Soviet era theatre.

“People still get the comedy. My material is not political or local – it’s about me and my opinions.”

The first leg of his UK Now tour began in September. He broke off for a few dates in Europe and a comedy festival in New York and visits Barney as part of the second leg of the UK tour.

It is, he says, a good show.

“It is always nice to see a strong show grow stronger. It naturally grows and I have fun with it now.”

Tickets for the show are £12, however, the Mercury has teamed up with promoters Funny Way To Be for a two-for-one offer, using the discount code of SLOSS241 when booking online at www.funnywaytobe.com

Making ’em laugh at Bowes

A CENTURY of comic song will be celebrated at Bowes and Gilmonby Village Hall this week. 

The duo QuickSilver will be bringing their show Make ‘Em Laugh to the village on Thursday, November 23.

Hilary Spencer and Grant Baynham are QuickSilver. To describe them as two voices and guitar simply does not do them justice.

During four years on BBC1’s That’s Life! as part of Esther Rantzen’s team, Mr Baynham became a household name as a songwriter.

Ms Spencer is well known to folk for her work with top internationally acclaimed acappella trio Artisan.

Their show traces music from the first Savoy operas of the 1870s and the genius of Gilbert and Sullivan, through to Music Hall, Joyce Grenfell, Noel Coward, Flanders and Swann, old Uncle Tom Lehrer and up to Jake Thackery, Richard Stilgoe and Victoria Wood in the 80s.

Promoter Graham Henley said: “QuickSilver’s rapport with audiences is legendary. They just love to entertain and their combination of infectious fun, quirky humour, sharply observed songs, sparkling guitar and scintillating vocals make the experience truly unique.

“This is a wee departure from our normal music format, but who doesn’t enjoy a humourous song?”

He added: “Such numbers are very popular here and we are looking forward to hearing a few old favourites as well as perhaps discovering some new ones. It will be a great night.”

The doors and bar open at 7pm, performance starts 7.30pm. Tickets on door are £10, concessions £9 and students £5.

Contact Mr Henley on 01833 628357 for more details.

Start your engines – village pub hosts Scalextric racing

SCALEXTRIC enthusiasts will come under starter’s orders when a race event gets underway in Mickleton. 

It will be the second time that The Crown pub in the village has played host to a Scalextric race day, with about 50 people enjoying the inaugural event.

Race organiser Rob Hancock, of Middleton-in-Teesdale, says people can look forward to about 30 metres of track with four racing lanes.

The layout will be complete with spotlights and bridges, and races will be managed through a digital system operated by a smartphone application.

Mr Hancock has years of experience organising Scalextric events.

He said: “It started off when I was living in the Isle of Wight. A few of us in the pub decided to do it. We had three races at the pub down there. When I moved back here we started at Cafe 1618.”

He added that the race was moved to The Crown because of the extra space available.

Next year he plans to host racing at The Hub, in Barnard Castle, which will boast an eight lane track.

The 33-year-old has some 100 cars and about 60 metres of track, and plans to start hosting race parties and corporate events using his extensive kit. One of his most prized cars is a model of Jason Plato’s 2016 Passat, which has been autographed by the former British Touring Car champion.

The Crown race day on Saturday, November 25, starts from 1pm with children being given the opportunity to take part in time trials until 5pm.

Adults will then go head-to-head from 6.30pm until late.

Prizes on the night include Lego, radio-controlled cars and fizz.

Entrance is £5 for adults and £2 for children. For more information email hanrobert345@hotmail.com.

Exhibition success for artist inspired by Cockfield Fell

A DALE artist whose work is inspired by Cockfield Fell has been selected for one of the north’s most prestigious exhibitions. 

More than 2,200 works were submitted for the New Light Prize Exhibition and Jill Campbell, from Lynesack, was one of only 70 artists to be chosen to take part.

New Light was established in 2010 and aims to promote contemporary northern art by hosting a biennial exhibition. It is currently on at The Bowes Museum.

Ms Campbell said: “It is a really big competition. It is really important to me, it is like a recognition of the professional quality of my work.”

The artist works primarily in acrylic and her interest in art was sparked early on.

She said: “I did art at A level, but I got sidetracked and became a lawyer.”

Although she gave up her partnership in a Birmingham law firm some time ago, it wasn’t until she moved to Teesdale 14 years ago ­that she took up painting again after being inspired by the countryside. She went on to study fine art at Sunderland University and graduated in 2013.

She has since been accepted into Leeds Fine Artists, one of the oldest regional arts organisations in the north.

One of her favourite subjects was the landscape on the road between Stanhope and Eggleston, but she has now turned her full attention to Cockfield Fell.

The 58-year-old said: “About a year ago I decided to have just one project to focus on.

“It is not a chocolate box landscape but it can be dramatic. My work is quite abstract but I do try to root it in what I have seen on the day.”

Her aim is to reflect the changing colours of the landscape throughout the year and she usually visits the fell just after sunrise, taking her four year-old border collie Ben with her.

She said: “Ben is well trained, he knows to lie down while mommy is sketching.”

The New Light will continue at The Bowes Museum until February 18, next year.

For more information about the artist visit jillcampbell.info.