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Theatre

London,

Little Britain's Big Night


Rating: 4 out of 5 Bruce Dessau's rating
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

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HMV Apollo Queen Caroline Street, W6 9QH

Phone: 0843221 0100

Website: www.hammersmithapollo.net

Email: info@hammersmithapollo.net

Extra info: Pub

Transport: Tube: Hammersmith Transport for London

That's no laydee...it's Katie Pollard

Kate Moss
Kate Moss as 'total slag' Katie Pollard with Matt Lucas as her sister Vicky Pollard

By Bruce Dessau
23 Nov 2006


Kate Moss might allegedly be having problems in her relationship with Pete Doherty but it is heartening to see that she still has a sense of humour. Last night she was the star guest at Little Britain's spectacular sell-out Comic Relief special.

As had been hinted, the 32-year-old supermodel appeared with teenage tearaway Vicky Pollard, embodied brilliantly by Matt Lucas. But Moss was not, as was rumoured, Vicky's pal. Instead she played her unlikely pram-pushing "total slag" twin Katie. Presumably not an identical twin.

While the shell-suited Lucas was a nightmare in pink, the uber-cool Moss could not help making her scrunchied hair, trashy black trackie bottoms and blue top look stylish.

Moss even had a few lines, telling David Walliams as Vicky's ex-teacher Mr Collier, that she was anyone's for a packet of Quavers and that she was "off on the rob". It was not exactly the modern equivalent of Greta Garbo speaking for the first time, but it was an eerie and compelling clash of cultural icons. Don't give up your day job, Kate, but top marks for being a good sport.

There were more enthusiastic cameos than in a boxed set of Morecambe and Wise shows. Jonathan Ross allowed David Walliams's middle class racist Maggie to vomit over his designer suit. Moss's alleged ex, comedian Russell Brand, played against type as a coy plumber - until he ripped off his boiler suit to reveal black lace laydee's underwear.

Dawn French got off lightly as the Welsh lesbian barmaid serving PVC-clad village gay Dafydd. Further surprises throughout enthralled the audience, some of whom had paid over £300 for their ticket. Walliams's ex-girlfriend Patsy Kensit strutted on as a feminist whose hairy armpits made her look as if "she had Brian May and Anita Dobson in a headlock."

DJ Chris Moyles gamely grinned during a Fat Fighters routine when Lucas's Marjorie Dawes begged the audience "please don't laugh at this blob", while Peter Kay revived Phoenix Nights boss Brian Potter to introduce embittered children's entertainer Des Kaye (Walliams).

On a night of umpteen belly laughs it was difficult to single out one supreme moment. It was a toss-up between the real Dennis Waterman interrupting a surreal Dennis Waterman sketch to sing the Minder theme, or ex-Holby City pin-up Jeremy Edwards revealing more than he bargained for when Walliams's Des Kaye pulled his trousers down. For once even Kate Moss was upstaged and that takes some doing.

Moss had been asked to take part in the show, to be televised next March, after seeing the stage show with Doherty and meeting Walliams. Among the audience were Arsenal player Thierry Henry, act or Rufus Sewell, Sadie Frost and the brains behind Comic Relief, writer Richard Curtis.

Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.

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