Kiwi comic Al Pitcher brings his stand-up picture show to Plumstead's Comedy on the Common

Kiwi stand-up Al Pitcher, however, reinvents this comedy cliche entirely by presenting audiences with the photographic evidence to prove he’s had interesting encounters locally.

Hoping to show audiences his alternative view of the world, Al accompanies his home-grown snaps with not-so-ordinary musings on the seemingly ordinary aspects of life and our communities. Every date of his tour is tailor-made for the location, and his photos could be of anything — a landmark, a busker outside a lingerie shop, whatever.

Al tells Kerry Ann Eustice about his innovative take on stand-up.

Where did the idea for this local picture-led set came from?

I’ve always been fascinated by the UK ethos of people thinking their own town is crap, and nobody ever seems to move away but loves to have a moan about where they reside. So I wanted to show the non-believers, and rather than a weird motivation session where I take an audience around the area together I thought it best to take the pictures and give people a funny show.

How does the set go down, generally? Do audiences enjoy you using their communities as comedy fodder?

Local jokes always go down a storm, but my difference is, I am actually seeing the local area. Comics just lie, a bit like the scene in This Is Spinal Tap when the guitarist checks the back of the guitar for the name of the place where they are playing. Insert the name of the worst nightclub in town or a rough area and audiences are hoodwinked into believing the comedian lives in the town. I’m going to be cut from the comedians’ circle after this.

Which places loved your observations and pictures and, conversely, which ones were offended?

I previewed the show at a lovely comedy club in Kingston called Outside The Box. I had as my last picture a busker, who looked a bit crap and was standing outside a lingerie shop. I was all set to take the mickey out of him but when the picture came up everyone in the audience cheered and shouted out ‘Moses’ - not in the biblical sense but they all loved this guy called Moses. So I made a u-turn and said what an awesome guy he was.

Phew, excellent recovery. How did you hone your improvisational comedy skills? Do you have certain lines or stimulus to get you going?

Years of gigging. Focusing on compering makes you able to deal with most crowds, although UK crowds are so unique. I’ve had Kiwi crowd members put up their hands to heckle. In America a guy said ‘excuse me’. Over here, the internal voice is already out and shouting before the heckler realises it. I try to react differently and as natural with any hecklers, it’s the best way, great comedy can come from this.

What made you want to be a comedian, and do you like it?

I’m so lucky I do this, it’s a great hobby, it never feels like a job. I live in Sweden and the travel can be grinding but getting that reaction, positive or negative is an incredible high or low. You can work really hard to write and when you see the result; a person laughing hard and letting out a bit of wind, it’s brilliant.

What do you during the day? It always fascinates me what comedians occupy their days with, considering theywork mostly at night

I take pictures for the show that night, but when I’m not on tour during the day I ride llamas through the desert with all my other comedian mates.

Comedy can consume you, it can take a few days to relax. If you are on holiday or away from it, when you are asking the waiter in a restaurant what he does for a living, or after a Valentine’s Day dinner with your wife trying to make a load of passengers on the bus home laugh – that’s when you need to rethink your life. ‘A bus home on Valentine’s Day’ - what a catch I am.

Have you been to Plumstead before?

Yeah, I had a mate from there and from memory, they will be many a scenic picture opportunity. I’ve been through it loads, now I can stop, smell the fresh air and take some pictures.

Are you a good photographer? I wondered whether your snaps were arty and well-framed or otherwise...?

Oh the art’s the least of my worries. I’m more about reducing the shake. It’s easy to panic when taking a photo. I once saw J-Lo and I nearly amputated my wife’s arm off while trying to grab the camera. That’s an awkward situation when you get asked to take a phone and it turns out terrible for them.

Time Out describes you as one of the best-kept secrets on the comedy scene. Is this fair to say? Are you on the cusp of a mainstream popularity explosion? The clever premise of your show makes it sound like you should be.

I can only say thank you. I will have to wait and see. Maybe with this show who knows.

The Al Pitcher Picture Show. Feb 7 at Comedy on the Common, The Pavilion, Plumstead. 8.30pm. Call 07860 609796.