The Comic Strip Presents… Cinema Tour 2024

2024 sees Peter Richardson on a cinema tour.

Picturehouse cinema celebrates the history of The Comic Strip Presents, featuring Robbie Coltrane, Rik Mayall, Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders, Nigel Planer, Ade Edmondson and Peter Richardson. This richly illustrated event will feature clip reels of some of the best loved Comic Strip moments interspersed with conversation and surprise guests.

Each evening comprises of two events: The Best of Comic Strip, with clips, live conversations and guests, followed by a double-bill of two films from their archive, with Peter Richardson and guests answering more questions in between.

These events are taking place at Picturehouse Cinemas across the UK, with most hosted by comedian and Comic Strip fan Robin Ince. Guests across the run include Harry Enfield, Alexei Sayle, Keith Allen and Nigel Planer. 

• March 23, Picturehouse Central, London: Hosted by Richard Herring with guests Stephen Mangan and Jennifer Saunders.
• April 6, Southampton: Guest Nigel Planer.
• April 7, Fulham Road, London: Guest Nigel Planer.
• April 20, Clapham, London: Guest Nigel Planer.
• April 21, Oxford: Guest Nigel Planer.
• May 4, Exeter: Hosted by Justin Johnson (BFI) with guest Harry Enfield.
• May 11, Ealing  London: Guest Alexei Sayle.
• May 12, Hackney, London: Guest Alexei Sayle.
• May 18, Henley: Guest Keith Allen.
• May 19, Ritzy, Hackney, London: Guest Keith Allen.
• June 8, Cambridge: Hosted by Justin Johnson with guests Stephen Mangan and Nigel Planer.
• June 9, The Gate, Notting Hill, London: Guests Stephen Mangan and Nigel Planer.
• June 15, Brighton: Guest Nigel Planer.
• June 16, Crouch End, London: Guest Nigel Planer

All feature Peter Richardson and are hosted by Robin Ince unless otherwise stated. For more details from the Picturehouse website:

Saturday 6th April 2024

By chance I was informed of this tour by the lovely Enchanted Essays, who was going to the showing on 23rd March in London. When I looked more closely at the tour schedule I saw that they were coming to my home town of Southampton. This was too good an opportunity to miss, so tickets were booked.

I went with my great mate Shaun and our lovely friends Peter and Lisa.

Shaun has kindly written up a piece about his love of The Comic Strip Presents and his memories of the evening – which includes a close encounter with Nigel Planer.

Shaun Gibson

6th April 2024

Oh, where do I start? I’ve been a fan of Rik, Ade, Nigel, Peter and all the other Comic Strip gang since my mind and eyes were initially offended by them when I found (secretly) a TV recorded videotape my Dads lodger had, which I watched at about age 11, 12. My mind was blown!
This then led onto Filthy Rich & Catflap, Bottom, everything in-between, and of course, ‘The Comic Strip Presents!’
What a Wonderfull collection of weird, funny, insane and darn right outlandish films. What a treat, so many to choose from! Some of my favourites would have to be, ‘Summer School,’  ‘Mr Jolly lives next Door,’ ‘Bad News,’ ‘Dirty Movie,’ ‘Funseakers,’ ‘a Fistful of Travellers Cheques’ and of course ‘Four Men in a Car’.

Fast forward many years of collecting and salivating over various releases this varied gang of superheroes have released, and I met a wonderful friend, Lucy from the Rik Mayall Scrapbook (that’s a story for another blog post!).

Only a few weeks ago, we were alerted about the current Comic Strip tour! We couldn’t believe it, and just knew we had to go! To watch some classic Comic Strip on the big screen, and in the presence of two legends of the comedy troupe! We had to make it so, as Jean-Luc Picard would say.
We secured tickets for both shows (They offer a show of the ‘Best of the comic strip’ compilation, followed by a splendid Q&A, expertly compared by the wonderful fan and comedian Mr Robin Ince!, and the 2nd show played two Comic Strip movies, (in our case ‘The Strike’ and a special cut of ‘Bad News Tour’) followed by more Q&A and audience questions.

I’d highly recommend both shows/performances, they go well together.
We were so lucky, myself, Lucy and our good friends Peter and Lisa managed to sit front and centre! I couldn’t believe I was sitting only two meters of my idols! (This includes you too Robin).

The films were great, the Q&A’s were very interesting, I even got to ask a question. They looked and talked at me!!! I couldn’t believe it. (Well I could, as I was there and it definitely happened!)

The only slight regret, is at half time, I visited the toilets, and it was empty apart from myself and Nigel Planer!
I said “Hi Nige” (trying to play it cool) he was mid wee, I walked up to the far urinal, turned to him, put my arms out to my sides, shook them and said “Filthy” (a sheer moment of madness, where as a fan would know is from episode one of Filthy, Rich & Catflap, where Rik Mayall, aka Richie greets Ralph Filthy upon entering the flat!) Nigel to his credit just looked at me a bit weird, chuckled and got out of the toilets rather quickly!

I can’t believe I did that! Nigel, if you happen to read this, I apologise profusely.
He sat in front of me for Q&A part two, so hopefully I got away with it!!

Anyway, if you’re a fan, please don’t miss this rare opportunity, it really was a night to remember. And thank you to Nigel Planer, Peter Richardson and Robin Ince for being so darn great.

Check it out before its too late.

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We sadly didn’t get the chance to have photos or get anything signed by Peter or Nigel. And given the toilet incident, it’s probably a good job we didn’t! However upon leaving we did manage to stop and have a little chat with the host of the evening, Robin Ince. I was able to give him a set of my badges. I had taken a set along with me should the opportunity arise. Being the super fan that he is, I think he quite liked them!

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Enchanted Essays

23rd March 2024

I went to the first showing of this in the Picturehouse chain’s flagship cinema, PictureHouse Central in Piccadilly Circus. It had 3 guest speakers: Peter Richardson, who is of course doing all of them, Stephen Mangan, who is doing some other ones where they are screening The Hunt for Tony Blair, and Jennifer Saunders, who was only there for that one. In spite of that, there weren’t a lot of people in attendance, which is a shame, but I think that it was due to a lack of marketing for it. It was presented by Richard Herring, who was very knowledgeable and did a good job of leading the conversation.

When there was a Q & A at the end of the best of compilation, I got to ask my question at the end. I had my script book with me which I clutched to my chest awkwardly throughout the compilation and I held that up to try and get seen and it worked! Mine was the last question of the first half. I was so nervous and awkward [I thought I sounded like Richie’s dating agency tape from Bottom, but apparently I sounded fine].

My question was about the episode of series 1 that Channel 4 refused to film, Back to Normal with Eddie Monsoon. It was a mock late night talk show hosted by Adrian Edmondson’s title character with other guests played by all of the core Comic Strip members aside from Rik [French and Saunders, Peter Richardson and Nigel Planer] as well as Lanah P as themselves. I asked why they all had writing credits rather than being written by one or two of them. The initial response was, predictably, that they couldn’t remember [which made me feel pretty stupid for asking tbh] but then Jennifer Saunders said she thought it was because they were all writing for their characters.

They showed Hunt for Tony Blair and GLC next, neither of which I’d seen before. Both are pretty cinematic, so it was good to see them on the big screen and the Q&A about the former was really interesting.

I got a photo with Peter Richardson and I got him to sign my script book [thank you to the lady who lent me a pen]. I don’t know if he heard me, but I told him he was wonderful and that I think that the show had aged really well, which was something he was talking about during the show. I got a quick selfie with Stephen Mangan as well.

And of course, I was wearing my rikmayallscrapbook.com badges with pride! I had a wonderful time and I’m hoping to go again. It was a joyful evening

You can find Enchanted Essays on YouTube, here she did a live stream review.

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Audience attendance has been fairly low so far, so don’t miss this great opportunity and spread the word to other fans.

Please comment below, or get in touch if you were at one of these screenings.

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