LIFE’S TOO SHORT – REVIEW

Mikey Clarke reviews the latest comedy venture by Peterborough based actor and local hero Warwick Davis…

Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant must be running out of space for all their awards!  In 2002, The Office won the Best TV Comedy award.  A Golden Globe later, the writing partners created Extras – which the BBC’s public poll voted the 25th all-time favourite British sitcom.

Why am I telling you this? I feel it highlights the pressure that Ricky and Steve must have been going through when putting together their third television series, Life’s Too Short.

This ‘mocumentary’ centres on Peterborough’s very own Warwick Davis. Warwick plays a fictionalised version of himself who is frustrated with not being recognised, is in the process of a divorce, and can’t find any acting work. In a desperate attempt to get the phone ringing once again, he allows a television crew to film his life.

The first episode aired on BBC2 on November 10. Was it any good?

It feels very familiar. The show is a cross between The Office and Extras – which is actually a very good thing. I personally would have loved to have seen a third series of both shows, so it fills a much needed gap in the comedy market.

Ricky and Steve appear in cameos as themselves, with a different celeb also popping up each week. Liam Neeson stole the show in the first episode. His hilarious scene proved that our comedy writers have the power to make A List celebs say pretty much whatever they like, and it’s refreshing to see a Hollywood actor popping up in a British sitcom – not Dawn French or Peter Andre. Throughout the series, the names get better and better. We can look forward to further appearances from Steve Carell, Johnny Depp, Sandra Bullock, and even Keith Chegwin.

Finally, is the show as controversial as the rumours suggest?

No. Not yet anyway. Warwick has already proven in half an hour what a fabulous actor he is, and you genuinely feel that you are laughing with him, not at him. Ironically, this series will probably make him more famous than Star Wars and Harry Potter ever did. So, relax people. Warwick may have complications that come with being 3 feet 6 inches in height, as he confesses to having to use a broom handle to reach things in supermarkets, but we’re allowed to laugh at this fantastic comedy. And when asked in an interview if Warwick was offended by the show’s title he simply said – “No, I came up with it.”

Check out the hilarious and highly recommended Life’s Too Short on BBC2, Thursdays at 9.30pm.

Rating  4/5   Mikey Clarke

Grab a copy of this month’s ESP to read Steve Gonzalez’s interview with Warwick.

Photos: Life’s Too Short courtesy of BBC Pictures