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The Review - FEATURE
Published: 24 January 2008

?Claire and Roland Muldoon: causing a stir

Have you heard the one about Gramsci?

COMEDY superstars Harry Hill and Jo Brand; music from New Zealand country soul to Afro blues; Gramsci debates on Monday nights – just another week in Kilburn since comedy legends Roland and Claire Muldoon took over the Cock Tavern in November.
The couple ran the Hackney Empire for 20 years and their arrival on the Kilburn High Road has caused quite a stir on the comedy scene.
Mr Muldoon, who used to live in Goldhurst Terrace, West Hampstead, says: “We have been careful to keep the regulars on hand – I don’t want people to think we are a bunch of yuppies.”
The Muldoon brand of comedy is New Variety, appealing to connoisseurs but not, it seems, to the Arts Council. “When Thatcher came in and smashed all the left-wing theatre groups we started up at the Hackney Empire.” he says. “For a time getting funding was fine – until they met me. I honestly think that after a while the Arts Board thought ‘Oh my God, the chief executive is left-wing!’ It was like getting blood out of a stone.
“Comedy today is increasingly being ‘McDonaldised’. Places like Jongleurs, for example, are more and more commercial. We hope the Cock will become a banner for independence.”
And coming to a pub near you is Gramsci Night Out, after the Italian Marxist. “There’s a lot that needs to be debated within the political left,” he says, “but without feeling the need to toe the party line. People who want to challenge cultural hegemony and who have cultural opinions need to have a forum.”
Socialist editor Hilary Wainwright kicked off proceedings on Monday with “so tell me to my face what’s wrong with Red Pepper?”.
The Cock plan was hatched earlier this year: “I met my mate Chris Roberson on a peace march back in April and he said ‘I’ll back you as long as you don’t lose my money’.”
That looks like a safe bet now with the stage booked until July and with big names including Jo Brand, Jenny Eclair, Harry Hill. Tuesdays are New Act of the Year comedy nights; Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays are music; Saturdays are for the big guns of comedy and Sundays are for fans of Music Hall.

TOM FOOT

• Cock Tavern, Kilburn High Road, NW6. www.cocktavern.com

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