Altitude Festival, The Auditorium, Meribel, France
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.What may be one of the first ever Alpine comedy festivals is an appealing combination: skiing all day, comedy all night. The French ski resort Meribel is currently playing host to the inaugural Altitude Festival, the brainchild of the comedian Marcus Brigstocke – a mad-keen snowboarder.
The festival has attracted an impressive lineup, including Jenny Eclair, Phill Jupitus, Lee Mack, Rich Hall, Ed Byrne and Andrew Maxwell. Judging by the many acts I have seen playing to multinational audiences in Meribel this week, Altitude has caught the imagination of the locals, and demonstrates that, unlike French wine, British comedy really does travel well.
Some gigs take place on the slopes in glorious late-season sunshine. The programme features a mass snowball fight, three-legged ski races and a comedy invasion of the neighbouring resort of Courchevel. It's all a far cry from the damp cellars and unremittingly driech weather of the Edinburgh Fringe. Altitude promises downhill, not drizzle.
The innovative nature of the festival was underlined by the bilingual opening-night gala at Meribel's splendid 300-seat municipal theatre, The Auditorium, on Saturday. Half a dozen French and half a dozen British comedians performed, including Eclair, Maxwell and Brigstocke ("put your hands ensemble pour..."). This was surely the first time that French and British comedians have enjoyed equal billing at a live show.
The most compelling acts were not put off by the language barrier. Rather, they used it to their advantage. Olivier Verineau, a rising star of the French circuit and clearly a disciple of his compatriot Marcel Marceau, delivered a blinding mime of a man being attacked by the vicious pooch of an angry old woman he had tried to help.
The best of the comics from this side of the Channel played on the fact of a largely British festival being held in a French resort. "A lot of English people think that the French have no sense of humour," Brigstocke mused. "Not true. The French wrote the European Constitution – and then voted 'non' on it. That's funny on about four different levels."
The Brits also made site-specific gags that would have had no impact in clubs such as, say, Jongleurs in Camden. Mark Maier, for example, sent up the affluence of his audience: "You're probably not used to the term 'homeless' here in Meribel, are you? 'Second homeless'?"
Later on, Maxwell, a fanatical snowboarder, displayed the dexterity of an Olympic competitor on stage. Joking about the fierce rivalry between snowboarders and skiers, he sneered: "Listen, skiers, in your weird, all-in-one pastel suits that make you look like Austrian swingers: you might mock us snowboarders, but at least we can pee whenever we want!"
The Altitude Festival continues in Meribel, France until 20 April.Information and tickets available on www.altitudefestival.com
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments