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Cabaret Upstairs

BBC Radio 4 has had a long tradition of producing and developing stand-up comedy with many shows - eg “Four At the Store” acting as a showcase for new comedians.

The first show to do this after the explosion in new comedy in the early 80s was “The Cabaret Upstairs”, or more simply, Cabaret Upstairs. The eponymous cabaret was a room above the Hemingford Arms in Islington, N1, and the first series (produced by Alan Nixon) boasted a theme tune by Ronnie Golden and various acts including John Hegley, Steve Punt & Hugh Dennis and Harry Enfield, who were to become staples of the cabaret and comedy scene stretching far into the future.

The format was to allow three comedians or music acts to do a twenty minute act and then to edit it down to the best (or at least the cleanest) five minutes.

The second series moved venue (paradoxically downstairs) to the old Comedy Store in Leicester Square, and established itself as a regular fixture on Radio 4, running to two more series in 1987 and 1988. The second series, produced by David Tyler and Graham Frost producing there shows each, was hosted by Clive Anderson and boasted the first appearances by such newcomers as Jo Brand (then known as The Sea Monster), Mark Thomas and Jeremy Hardy. The format was tweaked slightly to allow four or sometimes five acts on the bill rather than three as hitherto.

The third produced by David Tyler with Dan Patterson was also hosted by Clive Anderson, and his interactions and chat without the audience became a much-loved part of the show, and certainly helped Dan Patterson to find the perfect host when he was devising “Who’s Line Is It Anyway”...

The fourth and final series was produced by David Tyler, with Lissa Evans and Bill Dare, and Clive Anderson again hosted half of the series, with Tony Hawks and Dave Cohen sharing the compering for the last three shows

Cabaret Upstairs

Series 1

Show 1

First Tx: 11/5/85 23.00-23.30 BBC Radio 4

Hosted byRonnie Golden
withJohn Hegley
John Sparkes
Denise Black
& The Kray Sisters
 
Produced & directed byAlan Nixon

Show 2

First Tx: 18/5/85 23.00-23.30 BBC Radio 4

Hosted byRonnie Golden
withClive Benson
Jenny Eclair
Dusty & DickHarry Enfield
Bryan Elsley
 
Produced & directed byAlan Nixon

Show 3

First Tx: 25/5/85 23.00-23.30 BBC Radio 4

Hosted byClive Anderson
withJeremy Hardy
Pulse
Nice & SweeneyPhil Nice
Jim Sweeney
 
Produced & directed byAlan Nixon

Show 4

First Tx: 1/6/85 23.00-23.30 BBC Radio 4

Hosted byClive Anderson
withNorman Lovett
The Dexter Brothers
Gorham & SwiftCarl Gorham
Amanda Swift
Punt & DennisSteve Punt
Hugh Dennis
 
Produced & directed byAlan Nixon

Show 5

First Tx: 8/6/85 23.00-23.30 BBC Radio 4

Hosted byArthur Smith
withzJohn Irwin
John Dowie
The Popticians
 
Produced & directed byAlan Nixon

Show 6

First Tx: 1/6/85 23.00-23.30 BBC Radio 4

Hosted byArthur Smith
withJim Barclay
Ian McPherson
Calypso Beat
Arnold Brown
 
Produced & directed byAlan Nixon

Series 2

Show 1

First Tx: 8/5/86 23.00-23.30 BBC Radio 4

Hosted byClive Anderson
withPhil Cornwell
Andy Greenhalgh
Mint Juleps
Fiasco Job JobArthur Smith
Phil Nice
 
Produced & directed byDavid Tyler

Show 2

First Tx: 15/5/86 23.00-23.30 BBC Radio 4

Hosted byClive Anderson
withRoy Hutchins
Arnold Brown
Tony & Stod
FelixFelix Dexter
Rabbitt & DoonAnne Rabbitt
Doon Mackichan
 
Produced & directed byGraham Frost

Show 3

First Tx: 22/5/86 23.00-23.30 BBC Radio 4

Hosted byClive Anderson
withJulian Clary
Mac McDonald
Morris Minor & The MajorsTony Hawks
Paul Boross
Phil Judge
 
Produced & directed byDavid Tyler
andGraham Frost

Show 4

First Tx: 29/5/86 23.00-23.30 BBC Radio 4

Hosted byClive Anderson
withBob Mills
Glee Club
The Comedy Store PlayersNeil Mullarkey
Kit Hollerbach
Dave Cohen
Mike Myers
Richard Vranch
 
Produced & directed byDavid Tyler
andGraham Frost

Show 5

First Tx: 5/6/86 23.00-23.30 BBC Radio 4

Hosted byClive Anderson
withEddie Zibin
Logan Murray
Norman Lovett
Skint Video
 
Produced & directed byDavid Tyler

Show 6

First Tx: 12/6/86 23.00-23.30 BBC Radio 4

Hosted byClive Anderson
withSteve Edgar
Jeremy Hardy
Jez Prins
Rory McLeod
 
Produced & directed byGraham Frost

Series 3

Show 1

First Tx: 3/1/87 23.00-23.30 BBC Radio 4

Hosted byClive Anderson
withMark Steel
Sheila Hyde
Gary Howard
Mullarkey & HancockNeil Mullarkey
Nick Hancock
 
Produced & directed byDavid Tyler

Show 2

First Tx: 10/1/87 23.00-23.30 BBC Radio 4

Hosted byClive Anderson
withNick Revell
Kit Hollerbach
Johnny Immaterial
Paul Merton
 
Produced & directed byDavid Tyler

Show 3

First Tx: 17/1/87 23.00-23.30 BBC Radio 4

Hosted byClive Anderson
withJohn Hegley
Helen Lederer
Burning Pestles
Jeremy Hardy
 
Produced & directed byDan Patterson

Show 4

First Tx: 24/1/87 23.00-23.30 BBC Radio 4

Hosted byClive Anderson
withEddie Zibin
Dave Cohen
Denise Black
andThe Kray Sisters
Punt & DennisSteve Punt
Hugh Dennis
 
Produced & directed byDan Patterson

Show 5

First Tx: 31/1/87 23.00-23.30 BBC Radio 4

Hosted byClive Anderson
withPhil Cornwell
John Irwin
Rory McLeod
Igor Thompson
 
Produced & directed byDavid Tyler

Show 6

First Tx: 7/2/87 23.00-23.30 BBC Radio 4

Hosted byClive Anderson
withAndy Greenhalgh
Donna McPhail
Guy Jackson
Mark Thomas
 
Produced & directed byDavid Tyler

Series 4

Show 1

First Tx: 16/3/88 23.00-23.30 BBC Radio 4

Hosted byClive Anderson
withMark Steel
Hattie Hayridge
Patrick Marber
The Panic Brothers
 
Produced & directed byDavid Tyler

Show 2

First Tx 23/3/88  23.00-23.30 BBC Radio 4

Hosted by Clive Anderson
with Jez Prins
Draylon Underground
Mark Thomas
Michael Redmond
 
Produced & directed byDavid Tyler

Show 3

First Tx: 30/3/88 23.00-23.30 BBC Radio 4

Hosted byClive Anderson
withBernadine Corrigan
Bert Tyler-Moore
Bob Mills
Hope Augustus
 
Produced & directed byBill Dare

Show 4

First Tx: 6/4/88 23.00-23.30 BBC Radio 4

Hosted byDave Cohen
withNick Revell
Guy Jackson
Owen O’Neil
Jo Brand
 
Produced & directed byLissa Evans

Show 5

First Tx: 13/4/88 23.00-23.30 BBC Radio 4

Hosted byDave Cohen
withThe Tracy Brothers
The Popticians
Nick Hancock
Maria CallousMaria McErlaine
 
Produced & directed byLissa Evans

Show 6

First Tx: 20/4/88 23.00-23.30 BBC Radio 4

Hosted byTony Hawks
withSean Hughes
Donna McPhail
Jim Tavare
Jungr & Parker
 
Produced & directed byLissa Evans

Cabaret Upstairs

Here's the signature tune, performed by the great Ronnie Golden...

To read more about Clive Anderson, here's his Wikipedia page


Other shows in GEOFF & DAVID ...