John Shuttleworth's Back (on tour) is a short documentary that takes us behind the scenes with a well-known comedy character and gives us a unique perspective of how live entertainers had to cope when live venues were closed to the public.
In 2020, Director Matt Holt started work on a short documentary film with actor/musician Graham Fellows as he began his latest John Shuttleworth tour. Then Covid struck and theaters across the UK went into lockdown. The film took a different turn. With all future shows placed on hold, Graham remained at home, reflecting on the new situation all performers found themselves facing.
Actor/Comedian and Musician, Graham Fellows
Using his ‘back stage’ and ‘back home’ access to Graham (and his creation, John Shuttleworth) Matt produced a reflective and whimsical study of Graham and John’s unique relationship, touring and growing older together. Graham talks about coping with fatigue and memory loss on stage, with onstage footage showing how he uses his comic creation (and a banana) to cover any gaps.
John Shuttleworth performing on stage
Rarely do we get to see a comedy character conversing with their creator and here, Graham frequently switches from John to Graham and back again. It’s fascinating to watch Graham creating new material and gain insight into the challenges faced by actors, comedians and musicians during the pandemic.
The final film is an insightful slice of whimsy about a much-loved comedy character and his creator. The full film can be watched for free now on our YouTube channel and you can find more details about the John Shuttleworth's Back Again! Tour here. Let us know what you thought of the film in the comments below.