The Big City

Stan’s Cafe commissioned Brian Duffy, astronaut, photographer, writer and sound masher, to work with them on a show thing for the big Creative Partnerships culture bonanza in Manchester. He’s made a lovely mix with the stuff he used, you can download it from Exchange Art.

One of the interesting things for me about listening to it was that pretty much the first person you hear is Sarah Archdeacon, founder of Corali Dance Company and a regular performer for Stan’s Cafe. Like most of the people who work with them she has an incredibly distinctive and recognisable voice. I also recently spotted one of the other founders of Stan’s Cafe, Graham Rose, posing as a priest on a phone-in programme. If you’ve ever seen him in a show you’ll recognise him immediately. Have a Listen.

Then there’s Mark out of Smart on CBBC. He has always reminded me of Craig Stephens, Stan’s Cafe second in command. They are opposites in most ways, Craig taciturn and understated, Mark wacky and always making funny faces, but there’s something about Mark’s boyish confidence that always brings Craig to mind.

Back to Sarah Archdeacon again. Lisa Hannigan didn’t half look like her on Damien Rice’s new video, 9 Crimes. Am I imagining it, I keep asking myself? It has been a while since I saw Stan’s Cafe, maybe my memory of them has faded and merged into a collection of universal archetypes.

So imagine my confusion when I was watching my favourite comedy programme, Lead Balloon, and there, suddenly, confusingly, was Amanda Hadingue, another long-time member of Stan’s Cafe, crying at the kitchen table. And it really was her, I’m sure of it.