Clive Anderson talks Macbeth, Tony Blair and the Bee Gees ahead of Shrewsbury show
Clive Anderson is typically droll as he promotes his latest show, Me, Macbeth and I.
"It’s guaranteed to be funnier than Shakespeare’s greatest tragedy, more historically accurate than 24 hours of fake news, and less divisive than Brexit, Scottish independence and Donald Trump put together," he says.
He might have added that, given it is a one-man show, he can be sure that none of his guests will be walking out.
"It's always the terrible interviews that people remember," he muses, as he prepares for his appearance at Shrewsbury's Theatre Severn on Friday.
He has interviewed former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. His show featuring Peter Cook, who played 14 different characters, is a piece of television history. And that's before you get to him getting arrested in Nigeria. But it's his interview with the Bee Gees that everyone remembers.
"I didn't mean to be cheeky, but with the wisdom that comes with age, I would do it differently now," he reflects.
In 1997 the Bee Gees were on the crest of a wave, enjoying a remarkable comeback. They reached No. 2 in the album charts and had received a Brit award for their outstanding contribution to music. So when Clive got them to appear on his new BBC1 chat show Clive Anderson All Talk, he was hoping for a memorable interview. And he got one.
In the 1990s, Clive's punchy interviews, with his barbed comments and acerbic wit seemed the perfect antidote to the cosy format favoured by Michael Parkinson and the late Russell Harty. But when he interviewed the Bee Gees, his quips fell flat, and Barry Gibb in particular seemed riled by what he perceived as a lack of respect. Halfway through, he snapped "We're getting on like a house on fire, aren't we Clive?", and stormed off the set. His brothers quickly followed.
His two-hour show, an extended version of his 2019 performance at Edinburgh Fringe, will see him talk about his Scottish roots. His lifelong obsession with Shakespeare's Macbeth began when he was denied a prominent role in a school production. He talks about the superstitions surrounding the 'Scottish Play' which dare not speak its name, and why it has come to be associated with bad luck. Which neatly leads into the public's fascination with live interviews that go wrong.
