Chris Martin: This Show Has A Soundtrack

Komedia, Gardner Street, Brighton, Thursday, February 18

IT was watching the movie Magnolia which inspired the show behind comedian Chris Martin’s debut tour.

“You realise when you’re watching it how powerful the music is,” says Martin of the 1999 Paul Thomas Anderson multi-strand drama, which was inspired by the songs of Aimee Mann.

“I thought why not try to write a show and match it to music?”

Luckily for Martin his mate Steve is a composer by trade, and was willing to give it a try.

Martin says the words and themes of his show came first – as he filled Steve in on what he was going to talk about.

It wasn’t an instant success though.

“We tried the show with music about a month before Edinburgh,” says Martin. “It didn’t work. The music was too overpowering. We played around with it over the month and got it right for Edinburgh.”

Rather than Martin working to a fixed script and a pre-recorded backing Steve is there providing a live score from his laptop, mixing elements of strings and piano.

“I can’t stick to a script,” admits Martin. “I’m too easily distracted. If I go off topic the music can blend in and out. There are moments I can mess around – keep things going as long as possible and see if Steve can keep up, or will come up with something about what I’m referencing. He can f*** me over though – he’s got a laptop of magic tricks and can cut the mic!”

As well as learning that a composer doesn’t just stand in front of an orchestra and wave his hands about, Martin has discovered how expensive it is to take a composer on tour with him.

“The audience find it a bit weird at first,” he says, adding the touring show starts with him messing about in the first half before the Edinburgh hour takes over.

“Then the music hits your subconscious. We can take the music away and it feels powerful – it adds real emphasis.

“I do refer to it in the show – there was a point where we said: ‘Let’s do this and not mention the music’, it would just be this odd background.”

The music and the pacing of the hour-long show has also given Martin licence to explore more personal subject matter.

“Normally my shows are about stuff I have seen or have happened to me,” he says. “Now I’m trying to put a bit more thought and heart into it. It’s nice to think about what you’re feeling rather than what you see. I think it sticks with people more. I want to go a little deeper and think about thoughts you have and the emotions you have. I think you’re always going to find something funny, it might just be a bit harder.”

The length of the show also gave him that licence.

“If you’re doing 20 minutes at Komedia people want to laugh for 20 minutes,” he says. “If you’re doing an hour, or an hour and a half then it’s physically impossible to laugh repeatedly for that long. I get time to stretch my legs and explore.”

As for the future Martin is considering whether to use a soundtrack again for the 2017 show he is currently penning.

“It’s whether I want to be the guy who does that,” he says. “I need to work it out. I guess there is something to be said for being pigeon-holed – people get what you’re doing and might want to come and watch. A niche is a better word for it! I want to keep being excited by an idea and how it can be better.”

Before then he has a different battle to face.

When he spoke to The Guide Martin was fresh back from his honeymoon in the Philippines.

And he was training to go into a comedy boxing match in Blyth last Sunday in aid of Newcastle toddler Kian, who has neuroblastoma.

“I only told my mum about the boxing match a few days ago,” says Martin, who had been drawn against 6ft 2in comic John Hastings in the bout.

“I have done one boxing session and it was so tiring. It’s hard not to feel like Rocky when you’re training though – it’s the most fun way of getting into shape.

“John was born three months premature and has dyspraxia, so his co-ordination isn’t good. If he hits me though I’m going down.

“I’ve got an audition the next day, so I might have to tell him not to hit me in the face...”

Starts 8pm, tickets £12. Call 0845 2938480.