Flawed but in control

MARK Watson is a naturally funny man. To prove the point, the stand-up, who is the father of a newborn baby, begins the interview by explaining how shattered he is.

“My phone is currently at three per cent power, which is a reasonable metaphor for the state of my life right now.

“The difference is that I’m not as easy to charge up as a phone. Coffee is my equivalent of a phone charger, but it’s not as reliable. But both my phone and I are just about getting through most days!”

You’ll be delighted to learn that Mark is bringing this trademark wry, self-deprecating sense of humour to Swindon this month. In his new show Flaws, which marks his 10th anniversary in comedy, Mark explores why, despite our lack of perfection and poor decision-making, humans are still pretty spectacular.

Even though he may not possess the answer to all of life’s most serious questions, the comic reflects with his customary hilarity on the process of growing up, including the terrifying ageing process, parenthood and the fear of passing terrible traits onto your children.

“I’ve now been a professional comedian for 10 years, and it seemed like the natural point to reflect on what I’ve done. I couldn’t help observing that most of the time has been spent making money from telling people about my personal inadequacies. So Flaws is about how my hapless stage persona has at some point become a hapless human being.”

“The stuff I talk about on stage is not that different from my real life. I have a definite shtick – a slightly manic nervous energy which makes something of my incompetence and general failings.

“But that’s actually very similar to how I conduct my life. The effect of that on my mental well-being is ambiguous. If you’re performing a version of yourself, it’s quite easy to lose track of where your real self begins and ends.

“In the show, I say that in my 20s I felt that it was fun to tell anecdotes about the different ways I’d screwed up. You’re allowed to be a shambles in your 20s. But it is sobering to realise that you’ve got no better as a 35-year-old and that if you don’t shape up, you’ll be a 50-year-old who has still not got to grips with the basic pillars of life. I have two children and a mortgage and still walk this strange tightrope between a seemingly respectable life and complete chaos.”

His wit and charm earned him fast recognition and by 2006, he had won both the Panel Prize at The If.comedy Awards and the Time Out Critics’ Choice Award.

But success remains an abstract concept for the comedian who has been known to root for the underdog.

“Perfection is not possible or desirable for humans. The denial of human quirks and flaws is not healthy. But the fact that you know others have flaws doesn’t necessarily comfort you.

“I support the perennially underachieving football team Bristol City, but their local rivals Bristol Rovers are even worse. They’re in freefall. People saying to me, ‘it could be worse – you could support Rovers’, doesn’t really help.

“I’d like my team to do well rather than take comfort from the failures of others.

“In Flaws I try to improve myself and find role models to aspire to. My lack of confidence and self-esteem has powered my shows and my decisions in life. But if you look at the opposite, aggressively confident people, a lot of their qualities are loathsome.

“In correcting your flaws, you might actually move towards something even worse. Self-improvement is very difficult.”

Never far away from the next gag, Mark closes by joking how relieved he is, after the exhaustion of new fatherhood, to be indulging in a sneaky rest on tour.

“My life is out of control. So going on tour will be a great relief – I can’t get out on the road quickly enough!

Performing the show has become the least stressful part of my day. All I have to do is stand up and talk for an hour – that eclipses all my other problems.

“Yes, the rigours of touring are considerable. But when you’re on the road, people are scrabbling round at home doing much less glamorous things. When comedians complain about touring, I assume they haven’t got families. Certainly there have been times at home when I’ve been delighted to say, ‘you know I’d love to stay and deal with this plumbing crisis, but sadly Bromsgrove awaits!’.”

Mark Watson’s show Flaws is at the Wyvern Theatre on Wesnesday, February 11. Tickets are £17.

To book call 01793 524481 or go to swindontheatres.co.uk