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Milton Jones has been a fixture of British comedy TV for nearly 20 years. The Edinburgh Award-winning stand up is the undisputed king of immaculate one-liners, crafting thousands of the things throughout his career. He did, before all of that started, have a connection to the more traditional dramatic arts, though. And it all started at one west London theatre.
‘Richmond Theatre is a lovely old theatre,’ he says on this week’s episode of Time Out’s podcast. ‘It was built by Frank Matcham. It's a great building, and I used to be an usher there, many years ago, selling ice cream. So that's why I always make sure to come back and play there on tour,I always feel like saying “I told you I’d be back!” But of course there’s no one from that time who still works here.’
Richmond Theatre, which looks out over Richmond Green, was built in 1899. It recently found TV fame as the setting for an auction scene on smash hit comedy ‘Ted Lasso’.
‘I remember a pantomime with Lionel Blair and Patsy Kensit in it,’ says Milton. ‘It was a different show every week. I wanted to do drama so it was quite good to sit at the back and watch loads of shows night after night. I tried to persevere with the drama, but no one wanted me to act. So I ended up doing stand up. Nowadays if I have an audition for any role, it’s going to be “the crazy neighbour next door”. What dramatic role on stage would I like to be cast in? A theatrical adaption of the “Muppets Christmas Carol”.’
Want to hear Milton chat about his love of Richmond while giving Time Out a guided tour of his favourite spots? Have a listen to this week’s episode of ‘Love Thy Neighbourhood’.
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Each week on ‘Love Thy Neighbourhood’, someone interesting gives Joe a personal tour around a neighbourhood that means a lot to them. Four locations, with a bit of chitchat en route to each one, always finishing up in a pub. Interested in what Bimini makes of Bankside? Need Derren Brown to justify his abiding love of Hoxton? Fascinated by the prospect of Joe and Doc Brown drinking four pints of Guinness on the Kilburn High Road? This is very much the pod for you.
Sponsored by FREENOW, the mobility super app, ‘Love Thy Neighbourhood’ will show you sides to London you never knew existed. Subscribe now for a new guest and a new neighbourhood every single week.
Milton’s latest tour Ha!Milton will tour across all of the UK, starting this September. Get your tickets here.
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