Go Faster Stripe

Stewart Lee

Every November time an onslaught of comedy DVDs hits the nation’s shops and online retailers, almost as though there was some big occasion around the corner that stand-ups and their representatives wished to capitalise upon. Yet one wholly independent publisher believes that stand-up is for life and not just for Christmas, releasing DVDs as well as CDs and books from some of the country’s finest acts who are largely neglected by the mainstream companies. The man behind Go Faster Stripe is Chris Evans (not that one) who was so non-plussed that no one seemed willing to record Stewart Lee’s epic 90s Comedian that he directly contacted the 41st best stand-up in the world ever himself to ask if he would lay his show open to the cameras at Cardiff’s Chapter Arts Centre, where Evans worked. ‘Unbelievably he wrote back and said he was up for it,’ recalls Evans. ‘There’s an extra on our DVD where Stew is filling time as we change tapes. He says that any normal person would have seen my email as a trap. I’m glad he is not normal and can say yes to things without really knowing what the outcome will be.’

The outcome was a sales figure which provided a basis for Evans to expand the GFS catalogue. Among those on the roster are Richard Herring, Wil Hodgson and Simon Munnery with upcoming releases due from Paul Sinha, John Hegley and Andrew Collins. ‘I do have a criteria in that I have to like the acts,’ says Evans. ‘That’s it. I have a list of people that I would like to make DVDs with, and I add to it whenever I see someone good.’

www.gofasterstripe.com

More: Comedy, Andrew Collins, Chris Evans, DVD, DVDS, John Hegley, Paul Sinha, Previews, Richard Herring, Simon Munnery, Stewart Lee, Wil Hodgson

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