Andy Hamilton: “I just like storytelling”

Photo credit: Steve Ullathorne

 Award winning comedy writer and performer Andy Hamilton is taking his new one man show, Change Management, on tour across the UK and will be stopping off at The West Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds for one night only on 1^st November. A show bursting with important questions on change of society, human condition and much more, Andy will spend the night speaking on the changes yet to come in society. We had a phone conversation with Andy to talk about his new one man show and his long and successful career.

TSOTA: Have you performed in Leeds before, Mr Hamilton?
AH: Yes, I’ve performed at the Playhouse and the City Varieties Music Hall.

TSOTA: What do you like most about Leeds?
AH: I know Leeds and indeed Yorkshire quite well. I have family that are from Bradford and I like visiting the Dales as well with my family.

TSOTA: What is the significance of the name of the show, Change Management?
AH: I’ve gotten to an age where doctors use the term ‘at your age’, and I feel I have a lot of experience looking at society, so that’s what I want to talk about. Also I chart what’s changed in society, or indeed if there even has been any changes and how society copes with everything going on in the world.

TSOTA: You’ve had a very successful writing career with the BBC sitcom Outnumbered and Old Harry’s Game on Radio 4. What is it you love most about writing?
AH: I just like storytelling really, and people always like hearing stories. I used to bore my family senseless when I was younger with anecdotes, but it’s storytelling I love the most.

TSOTA: You’re a regular on panel shows such as QI and Have I Got News For You. Have you got a particular favourite show you like to go on?
AH: I love all of them really. With QI you don’t have to do any prep. You just turn up and have fun, but with Have I Got News For You, you need to do a little bit of research–read the news, current affairs and that sort of thing–but it’s still great fun.

TSOTA: What have you got in the pipeline for future projects?
AH: They’re all just floating around at the moment. My main focus right now is the tour but I have a novel hopefully getting published but who knows really.

TSOTA: Of all the media platforms you’ve worked on in your career, is there one you love the most?
AH: I love all forms of media and I count myself very lucky I have had the opportunities to do them. If I had to choose I think radio is the purest because you just do it. You write a script, get actors, get a microphone and perform.

TSOTA: What can the audience expect when coming to your show?
AH: Laughter mainly, but also an intention to think about what’s been discussed in the show and hopefully cause stimulating arguments – not bad arguments, but just heated discussion.

Andy Hamilton’s new show comes to The West Yorkshire Playhouse on Sunday 1^st November for one night only. For further information on the tour click here.