Scot Squad star and comedian Jack Docherty is bringing his show to Aberdeen’s Tivoli Theatre – but he says it’s more a rom-com than a stand-up gig.
“It’s not really a stand-up but a comedy/play/story-telling kind of thing,” said Jack.
“I’ve done live shows as police chief Cameron Miekelson – the character I do in Scot Squad – and that was great fun and I’ll definitely do that again, but I just fancied doing something as me.”
But Jack will still play a role in his new show called Nothing But. Although, this time, the character is as close to Jack as possible.
The comedian explained: “I don’t tell the audience what’s true and what’s not – I think that’s what’s fun about it.
“I did the show in Edinburgh last year and most people were going ‘God, is this all true?’ but I never say how much is true.
“There are certain events in the show that did actually happen but some didn’t.
“It’s up to the audience to work that out because my character is not necessarily very nice at times… he behaves quite badly, but bad behaviour always seems to work well in comedy.”
The whole truth and nothing but the truth
Jack cleverly named the show “Nothing But” as a take on a sworn testimony when witnesses promise to tell “the whole truth and nothing but the truth”.
“It’s called that because it is suggested that it is a true story even though it may not be, but it’s also a story about why you should tell the truth.
“It’s a comedy about not telling the truth at the moments in your life when you should. But I also called it Nothing But because it’s a neat way of saying that I’m not doing characters from Absolutely and Scot Squad, it’s nothing but Jack Docherty.
“I think you need to keep testing yourself and trying out new things. And I think it’s the best thing I’ve done – it’s certainly the best critiqued.”
Jack Docherty on love, fatherhood and Aberdeen
His acclaimed show also has a few rom-com elements. It’s about Jack’s character trying to reconnect with a woman from his past. He’s looking for love, but instead, he finds his daughter.
“It’s a comedy about fatherhood, aging, unrequited love and relationships,” added BAFTA winner Jack.
“The show is set in Edinburgh during the festival, but it’s not necessarily about Edinburgh – it could be anywhere.”
And Jack cannot wait to bring his show to Aberdeen.
“I was at Aberdeen University for about five minutes,” laughed Jack.
“I did two years there and then I dropped out to do comedy. So it’s been a long time – I visited, but only once or twice since.
“But the problem with touring is that you always think ‘Oh, I’ll spend some time there’ but, of course, you don’t. You do your soundcheck, you do the show and then you go. But I’m really looking forward to being there.”
Don't miss Scottish comedian and BAFTA winner Jack Docherty (Scot Squad, Absolutely) grapples with lost youth, infatuation, fatherhood, sex, secrets and truth.
📆18 Mar 2022
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— The Tivoli Theatre (@TivoliAberdeen) February 23, 2022
Aberdeen might just be the best crowd
When asked to reminisce about the best crowd he ever performed for, Jack said, laughing: “The best crowd? I should really say the Aberdeen Music Hall that I played in 1993. It was actually a really good audience.
“I don’t think I could pick one, but the best audience… when you’re doing a long run, it’s always the third or fourth night when you worked out exactly how to do your show.”
And with Aberdeen being the fourth date on his Nothing But tour, Jack is now certain the Aberdeen crowd will be the best one.
In addition to going on tour with his new show, Jack is also working on a few TV projects.
He said: “I have a couple of things in development – I’m working on a couple of script which will hopefully happen.
“I also think there will be another Scot Squad – we’ll keep doing those.”
The sixth season of the spoof comedy following the first Unified Scottish Police Force premiered in January.
Jack said: “I like that Scot Squad is semi-improvised so you don’t need to learn your lines as normal. You get storylines but not dialogue. We know what’s roughly going to happen and then we can improvise around it.
“And that’s such fun – I really love doing that because you don’t know what’s going to happen.
“I’m also collaborating with young writer Maddie Mortimer – she’s just turned 25 – and we’ve done a thing about a father and daughter that we’re very excited about.
“It was an interesting project to write – I’m in my 50s and she’s in her 20s so we write from different perspectives. So hopefully that TV project is going to happen.
“We’re developing in with people who made It May Destroy You.”
How to book tickets to see Jack Docherty in Aberdeen
Jack Docherty will bring his Nothing But tour to Aberdeen’s The Tivoli Theatre on Friday March 18. Tickets are still available and can be booked here.