Following his critically-acclaimed, sold out residency at the Menier Chocolate Factory, DAVID BADDIEL announces a five week West End run for My Family: Not the Sitcom at London’s Vaudeville Theatre from Tuesday 13th September. Pre-sale tickets are available buy from 9am on Tuesday 21st June and the show goes on general sale on Friday 24th June.
When family members die, or are lost to dementia, all we tend to say about them is that they were wonderful. But if that is all you can say about them, you may as well say nothing: to truly remember our loved ones, you have to call up their weirdnesses, their madnesses, their flaws. Because the dead, despite what we may think, are not angels.
My Family: Not The Sitcom is a massively disrespectful celebration of the lives of David Baddiel’s late mother, Sarah, and dementia-ridden father, Colin. It’s a show about memory, ageing, infidelity, dementia, what we can and can’t say in an over-policed moral culture, golf and gay cats.
davidbaddiel.com / @baddiel
Listings Information David Baddiel: My Family Not The Sitcom
Venue: Vaudeville Theatre
Address: 404 Strand, London WC2R 0NH
Press Night: 15 September at 19.30
Dates: 13 September – 15 October (with no show on Sundays)
Times: Mon – Sat 7.30pm, additional matinees Sat 3.30pm
Age guide: 16+ (contains explicit language)
Box Office: 0330 333 4814
Website: www.nimaxtheatres.com/vaudeville-theatre
For more information and press tickets, please contact: Lottie Robertshaw:
lottier@avalonuk.com / 0207 598 7222
Notes to Editors
A celebrated author, DAVID BADDIEL has written seven books. His second children’s novel, The Person Controller, was published in October 2015 and has surpassed 100,000 copies sold. His first, The Parent Agency, was the bestselling 9-12 debut of 2014. He wrote a new title, The Boy Who Could Do What He Liked for 2016’s World Book Day. David has also written four critically-acclaimed adult novels The Death of Eli Gold, Time For Bed, Whatever Love Means and The Secret Purposes.
In 2013 DAVID returned to the live stage following a 15 year break with Fame: Not The Musical which he performed to sold out crowds at London’s Southbank Centre and Menier Chocolate Factory, and at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
In 2004 DAVID created BBC Radio 4 show Heresy which sees a team of three highly opinionated guests use their wit, wisdom and verbal dexterity to argue against popular prejudice and overthrow received opinion. He has also created and hosted two series of the BBC Radio 4 panel show, Don’t Make Me Laugh. In 2015 he created and fronted a new BBC Radio 4 show David Baddiel Tries to Understand…
BADDIEL created and presented – with FRANK SKINNER – Fantasy Football and Baddiel & Skinner Unplanned, attaining three number one hits alongside The Lightning Seeds with the football anthem Three Lions. In 1992, he performed to 12,500 people with ROB NEWMAN at the Wembley arena, in the UK’s first ever arena comedy show and was credited as turning comedy into “The New Rock’n’Roll”. This followed the hit TV shows The Mary Whitehouse Experience (BBC Two) and Newman and Baddiel in Pieces (BBC Two). In 2010 DAVID reunited with FRANK SKINNER to exclusively present a series of shows from the World Cup in South Africa for Absolute Radio (which attracted over 3 million downloads). David recently presented a four-part documentary David Baddiel On the Silk Road for Discovery UK.
WHAT THE PRESS SAID ABOUT MY FAMILY: NOT THE SITCOM
‘Compelling to watch both for its unvarnished truth and complicated affection’ Michael Billington, The Guardian
‘Hugely funny…If you’re going to disrespect the dead and the incapacitated, do it like this: truthfully, inventively and, finally, lovingly.’ Dominic Maxwell, The Times
‘Universally joyful… I wish this show long life’ Steve Bennett, Chortle
‘Rare to see one that draws its subject as honestly, vividly and humorously as this’ Alice Jones, The i
‘Baddiel launches himself into the Louis CK league of no-holds-barred comedy’ John Nathan, Metro
‘This is a rare production that boasts side-splitting laughs and also moves people to tears as Baddiel reminds us his mother was more than just wonderful. So is this show’ Bruce Dessau, Evening Standard
‘A show that bubbles with love and unexpected joie de vivre’ Chris Bennion, The Telegraph
★★★★★ Metro
★★★★★ Jewish Chronicle
★★★★ The Guardian
★★★★ The Times
★★★★ The Telegraph
★★★★ Sunday Times Culture
★★★★ Evening Standard
★★★★ The i
★★★★ WhatsOnStage
★★★★ Mail On Sunday, Event Magazine
★★★★ City A.M.
★★★★ The Arts Desk
FURTHER PRAISE FOR MY FAMILY: NOT THE SITCOM
David Walliams @davidwalliams – I was lucky enough to see @Baddiel’s new comedy show ‘My Family:Not the Sitcom’… Hilarious & incredibly moving.
Danny Baker @prodnose – Just back from @Baddiel My Family: Not The Sitcom. As funny a thing as I’ve ever seen & I saw Blazing Saddles in ’74! Honestly – this is it
Graham Norton @grahnort – @Baddiel Thanks for a stunning night of big laughs and the occasional teardrop. My Family – not the sitcom is brave brutal and brilliant.
K. Rowling @jk_rowling – I was so in need of a good laugh. Thank you, @Baddiel, for your brilliant, funny, emotional show xxx
Matt Lucas @RealMattLucas – “Brilliant show by @baddiel… Funny, emotional, raw, honest and original.”
Edgar Wright @edgarwright – Mr @Baddiel’s new show ‘My Family: Not The Sitcom’ is really hilarious. By turns heartwarming and totally outrageous. Highly recommend it.
John Bishop @JohnBishop100 – If you get a chance go and see @Baddiel show . Thought provoking, honest and most of all funny
Ross Noble @realrossnoble – if u can get a ticket do it such a great show. genuinely touching as well as funny
Sanjeev Bhaskar @TVSanjeev – brilliant, brutally honest, funny & touching. Don’t think I’ve seen a show quite like it
Richard Herring @Herring1967 – Just seen @Baddiel’s “my family”. Fabulously funny, moving, honest and intriguing. Go and see it if you can.
David Morrissey @davemorrissey64 – Saw @Baddiel show My Family. Not The Sitcom tonight. It is brilliant. Very funny and deeply moving! Go c it if u can!
Caitlin Moran @caitlinmoran – Anyone who comes from an ahem “eccentric” family will bum-clench in recognition at @Baddiel’s brilliant new show
David Mitchell @RealDMitchell – I saw @Baddiel’s new show last night and it was brilliant. Intriguing, insightful and very funny. Heartily recommended.
Rhys Thomas @RhysThomasOBE – best live comedy show I have ever seen. Fact. No one will leave without shedding tears of joy or laughter. Stunning
Rob Brydon @RobBrydon – Wonderful in the extreme. Belly laughing, thought provoking and shocking. Just great.
