Kieran Hodgson is more of a comic actor than a stand-up. An excellent impressionist, his earnest, if ironically-titled, YouTube series “Bad TV Impressions” made him a viral lockdown hit. Yet he’s more interested in constructing narratives, on topics ranging from Lance Armstrong to the European Union, than improvisatory muscle-flexing. At London’s SoHo Theatre, he recently revived his 2016 show “Maestro,” which tells the story of his love for classical music, particularly his deep obsession with Gustav Mahler (which led to him wanting to become a romantic composer), and his trials and tribulations writing the Hodgson Symphony No. 1.
Of all Hodgson’s videos, the one that gets me the most is his take on Joni Mitchell’s “Blue,” revised as a camp monologue. Resembling a young Alan Bennett on speed, Hodgson takes us through Joni’s best lyrics. His version of the line “There were lots of pretty people there, reading Rolling Stone”—pause to lean in and whisper—“reading Vogue” implies tremendous gossip about nothing in particular. “The wind is in from Africa,” says the same flustered figure. “And last night, I couldn’t sleep!” It’s digital perfection.
Hodgson still plays the violin on occasion, although he’s without an orchestra after relocating to Glasgow with his partner of 12 years. From his new place, he speaks generously about his belief in subsidized music education for all—his was a cultural upbringing funded mostly by his local council—and sharing classical music with fellow comics. “There are islands of that conversation but mostly, I think I’m ploughing a fairly lonely furrow,” he told me. Most noticeable of all is that his passion for artistry —not just music—remains remarkably undimmed by a 15-month hiatus from live gigs. It’s the kind of passion you rarely get from an uninterested person; his partner recently suggested a new show where Hodgson lists his strange infatuations, called “Only Boring People Get Bored.” In truth, he’s anything but.
Unlimited access to our
