THE MISCHIEF OF MARK THOMAS | INTERVIEW
One part comic, one part political activist and two parts troublemaker, Mark Thomas’ stand up has a very different tone. David Griffiths asks about his latest rebellious venture and new show, 100 Acts Of Minor Dissent.
Mark Thomas is not easy to classify. Although he’s first and foremost a comedian, his work also incorporates the investigative drive and crusading zeal of the reform-minded journalist, while perpetrating the sort of stunts on corporate figures for which Michael Moore became famous; so how does he classify himself?
“I love the idea that you can show things that you didn’t expect. I love the idea that as a performer you can take people and show them stuff. And for me there’s something interesting about just picking away at a subject, and just merrily investigating it.
“I think it’s the same attitude that some investigative journalists have, you just start looking at something, and you pick away, and you just want to see what’s there. I’ve got one foot in theatre I suppose, and one foot in journalism, and one foot in stand-up comedy. And that makes for some kind of weird beast at the end of it and, do you know, I’m quite happy with it!”
Taking on subjects as serious as the international arms trade, the UK economy and Israel/Palestine relations with a more-than-cheeky tone, Mark is known for taking on serious matters with a sense of humour. The saying goes that if you want to tell people the truth you better make them laugh… otherwise they’ll kill you.
Does Mark believe that his heady mix of honesty and humour is important?
“Well, when you say ‘how important is it?’ I can’t make that assessment. All I can say is that this is the way that I do it, and I like doing it this way. And, I’ve fucked up a little bit, but not as badly as I could have done over the years. I’ve managed to keep doing it for 28 years and still have a modicum of dignity left, so that’s not too bad.
“That’s ahead of the game, as far as I’m concerned. I think the great thing about it, it’s not comedy per se, it’s theatre, and indeed film, and all art forms offer us a chance to empathise with other experiences. That’s really exciting! The ability to empathise with multiple points of view, and to see things from other people’s perspective is really exciting.”
The premise of his current show, One Hundred Minor Acts Of Dissent, is self-explanatory. Mark performs minor act of civil disobedience. Mark incorporates minor act of dissent into performance. Audience laugh.
“You can expect all sorts of things,” explains Mark as he tells me about his new show, “I’m really enjoying it at the moment, because it’s genuinely great fun to do. It’s quite knockabout. There’s lots of stuff the audience can join in with, and it’s naughty and mischievous and challenging and all those good things. It’s a good one!”
When I speak to Mark he’s returning from having committed one of his minor acts of dissent: “I’m coming back from Tewkesbury, which is up near Gloucestershire, and I’ve just managed to get in and take part in a direct action against Intercontinental Hotels. They’re building a hotel in Lhasa, in Tibet, and under Chinese law what they have to do is racial profiling of Tibetans.
“If any Tibetan comes in to the hotel they have to notify the police. Which is somewhat nasty, to be supportive of an occupation, and actually having racialist profiling as well. So, that’s what we were doing this morning. We went around inspecting the Intercontinental Hotel looking for Tibetans and merrily getting chased out by the security. It’s a living!”
Mark’s journey of mischief isn’t over yet, though, as he continues his rebellious challenge as he tours.
“It’s constantly a work in progress,” he states, “The whole project lasts a year – 13th May 2013 until the 13th May 2014. If I commit a hundred acts, then on the 15th May I will do one show, and one show only, that details all one hundred acts. So all of it’s a work in progress until the final show.”
photo STEVE ULLATHORNE
Mark Thomas: A Hundred Acts Of Minor Dissent, Sherman Cymru, Cardiff, Wed 19 Mar. Tickets: £18. Info: 029 2064 6900 / www.shermancymru.co.uk