David Cross Crosses The Pond
The US Comedy Star tells us about his upcoming UK tour: September 25, Dancehouse, Manchester, September 26-28, Leicester Square Theatre, London, October 1, Òran Mór, Glasgow
Published on September 18, 2018
myticket.co.uk/artists/david-cross

Thank you so much for speaking with us David. Our first question is a traditional one for us  - where in the US are you from?

The short answer is Atlanta.

You've mentioned before that your Dad actually emigrated from Leeds in the UK  - do you feel British at all?

Well my teeth are terrible so in part yeah, but my skin is really good so in part, nah.

You'll be performing in the UK during September and October - how does it feel to be returning to the UK stage?

Oh very excited. Always happy to get back over there. I've spent a good deal of time there over the years and have done a LOT of sets over those years.

Your tour has the title 'OH COME ON' - a sentiment quite a few people feel in both the US and UK are expressing in 2018! Have you had to translate your show for a British audience, or is comedy becoming more universal?

I might change or swap out a few references here and there but for the most part it will be the same set I've been doing in America and Canada on this tour. What I found that worked last time I toured Europe (about 2 and a half years ago) was saying up front that with a handful of exceptions, I will be doing the act as I've been doing it in the States and if there's a reference you don't get just let me know. But most everybody gets the reference. Or at least the archetype.

The tour is stand-up comedy, but you're also really well known for performances on TV, and shows like Arrested Development - as a performer as well as writer, how do you change your approach when performing on stage?

Ummmm, well I mean one's stand up and the other is scripted lines with different size lenses and people that you are doing the scenes with. They're two completely different things. It's like asking how I change my approach when riding a horse as opposed to taking a flight.

You've mentioned before that among your comedy influences is Monty Python. We recently spoke with Bob Saget who had a similar interest in their style of comedy - what did Monty Python contribute to your style, and why is such a quintessentially British form of comedy so huge in the US?

Monty Python was a HUUUUGE influence on me as far as sketch comedy goes (please see, "Mr. Show" for example) but they have little to no influence on me as a stand-up. I think they were so beloved here because there had never been anything like that before them. That mix of smart & heady and smart & silly is so hard to achieve and even rarer to find done well.

How has comedy changed for you in recent years, particularly with the rise of social media and changing politics in both the US and UK?

Comedy (at least my comedy) hasn't really changed much in the last few years. I suppose I am slightly more sensitive to what might offend but really only slightly. And that's more due to my wife's influence on me. But please trust me, there is PLENTY to be offended by in my set.

Is comedy the best vessel for responding to the kind of big issues the US and UK face today?

Well, it's one way. Maybe not the best way but it helps. But probably guns are better (eventually).

Whilst you're in Lthe UK, is there anything you hope to get up to aside from the show?

I'll be visiting with a bunch of friends during my four days there. I have made a ton of very good friends and co-workers over the years and look forward to drinking them all under the table.

What's next on the horizon for you?

When this is over I start training for the next two years to get ready for the Winter Olympics. Nine man luge.

Finally, what's the best thing about being David Cross?

Getting to wake up and be in the same house as my wife and daughter and dog. Tough to beat that.

David's UK Tour stops in Manchester on September 25, in London on September 26 to 28, and in Glasgow, Scotland on October 1. Buy tickets from myticket.co.uk/artists/david-cross

>> MORE ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT