Scan barcode
A review by b00kh0arder
Let's Do It: The Authorised Biography of Victoria Wood by Jasper Rees
5.0
(Forewarning: this is going to be a very rambling review.)
It wouldn't be an overstatement to say that Victoria Wood has been ( still is & forever will be) one of my favourite comedian/comidiennes & writers, ever since I saw the ITV broadcast of her 'Live' 1997 tour (which my parents probably shouldn't have let me watch, to be honest, but as a 7 year-old, most of it just sounded funny & was performed in a funny way, with most if not all of the subtext going over my head, so hey ho! XD). From there I devoured her other stand up shows that we had recorded (1988's 'An Audience with...' & 1991's 'Sold Out', adding 'Live at the Albert Hall' in 2002) watching them multiple times, (I must shamefully admit that I didn't watch 'dinnerladies' when it first came out in 1998 as I deemed it 'boring' because it wasn't stand up - 8 year old me was an idiot), discovering more of her work as I got older ('As Seen on TV' is one of my favourite tv shows ever, not just sketch shows, and has gotten me through quite a few late night anxiety episodes), and was always excited when a new project of hers was announced. So when I saw that this biography was coming out, I was VERY excited!
If, like me, you're already a fan, then there won't be any earth-shattering revelations. Because it's not that kind of book. It's not a tell-all, gossipy rakeover but a detailed, considered and meticulous (not only did the author interview numerous friends and family members but was also granted access to Victoria Wood's vast personal archive of scripts, interviews, notes, audio diaries and personal correspondence - the list of sources for each chapter and index are epic) portrait of a comedy genius as a relatable and complex person, (stick on*) warts and all. A shy show-off who wanted fame and attention, who wanted to make people laugh but who also didn't like socialising; someone who was confident in her individuality and of her talent, yet also lacked confidence in herself; a brilliant performer who, offstage, was incredibly private; warm, funny, down-to-earth and generous but also ruthlessly professional, unafraid to be bossy when it came to her work and getting it right when the writing was often agonised over (she saw her sentences as constructed like music and wouldn't tolerate any bum notes); a voracious reader; brilliant writer; daughter, sister, wife, mother and friend.
'Let's Do it' is brilliantly written: funny (there are plenty of quotes from both Victoria herself, her work and from her family and friends), fascinating and poignant (the last two chapters are particularly hard-going). If you're already a fan you are going to greatly enjoy this. If you're not familiar with her work (first of all, go remedy that, NOW!) but have any interest in British comedy and/or theatre, pick this up!
(* reference to 'Victoria Wood: From Soup to Nuts' orginally broadcast on BBC Radio4 ;D)
It wouldn't be an overstatement to say that Victoria Wood has been ( still is & forever will be) one of my favourite comedian/comidiennes & writers, ever since I saw the ITV broadcast of her 'Live' 1997 tour (which my parents probably shouldn't have let me watch, to be honest, but as a 7 year-old, most of it just sounded funny & was performed in a funny way, with most if not all of the subtext going over my head, so hey ho! XD). From there I devoured her other stand up shows that we had recorded (1988's 'An Audience with...' & 1991's 'Sold Out', adding 'Live at the Albert Hall' in 2002) watching them multiple times, (I must shamefully admit that I didn't watch 'dinnerladies' when it first came out in 1998 as I deemed it 'boring' because it wasn't stand up - 8 year old me was an idiot), discovering more of her work as I got older ('As Seen on TV' is one of my favourite tv shows ever, not just sketch shows, and has gotten me through quite a few late night anxiety episodes), and was always excited when a new project of hers was announced. So when I saw that this biography was coming out, I was VERY excited!
If, like me, you're already a fan, then there won't be any earth-shattering revelations. Because it's not that kind of book. It's not a tell-all, gossipy rakeover but a detailed, considered and meticulous (not only did the author interview numerous friends and family members but was also granted access to Victoria Wood's vast personal archive of scripts, interviews, notes, audio diaries and personal correspondence - the list of sources for each chapter and index are epic) portrait of a comedy genius as a relatable and complex person, (stick on*) warts and all. A shy show-off who wanted fame and attention, who wanted to make people laugh but who also didn't like socialising; someone who was confident in her individuality and of her talent, yet also lacked confidence in herself; a brilliant performer who, offstage, was incredibly private; warm, funny, down-to-earth and generous but also ruthlessly professional, unafraid to be bossy when it came to her work and getting it right when the writing was often agonised over (she saw her sentences as constructed like music and wouldn't tolerate any bum notes); a voracious reader; brilliant writer; daughter, sister, wife, mother and friend.
'Let's Do it' is brilliantly written: funny (there are plenty of quotes from both Victoria herself, her work and from her family and friends), fascinating and poignant (the last two chapters are particularly hard-going). If you're already a fan you are going to greatly enjoy this. If you're not familiar with her work (first of all, go remedy that, NOW!) but have any interest in British comedy and/or theatre, pick this up!
(* reference to 'Victoria Wood: From Soup to Nuts' orginally broadcast on BBC Radio4 ;D)