After a four year break, 'Bottom' returned in triumph for another stage show - the result being 'Bottom Live 2001: An Arse Oddity' ( filmed at The Royal Concert Hall in Nottingham ) - the title obviously spoofing '2001: A Space Odessey'. The first half of the show sees them where they left off last - on the desolate desert island. No mention is made of the explosion that occurred in the last show. It seems almost like nothing has happened.
The show starts with Eddie fleeing from a group of gorillas of whom he owes a large gambling debt to and arriving on the island to discover that Richie has taken up cross-dressing. He has even went so far as to design for himself a pair of skimpy pink underpants ( which are so tight he can't get them off ). Eddie is also alarmed to find that their parrot has escaped from its cage. Richie explains that he has been 'Hawking' with the parrot. Eventually, the parrot appears back on the island, unconscious, having been attacked by a group of aggressive seagulls. Eddie tries to resuscitate the animal with a defibrillator but Richie sets the voltage too high and it results in the animal being blown to bits the length of the island. ''Where did he go?'' asks Richie tearfully. ''Pretty much everywhere!'' responds Eddie, matter of factly.
The first half of the show ends with Richie and Eddie trying to make a hasty retreat to the theatre bar before the audience get there.
In the second half, the two are taken from the island and dumped in a strange space-ship like dome ( hence the '2001' reference in the title ). It is not quite as bad as they think though as hidden behind the dome is a bar, which is later found by Eddie. The show ends with Richie and Eddie singing 'The Pants Song'.
'An Arse Oddity' is not a patch on the first two shows but is miles funnier than 'Hooligan's Island'. The script is more tightly written this time. I only knock one star off my rating because of 'The Pants Song' number at the end. I personally found it rather out of place. The 'dome' setting could easily have worked as TV episode of 'Bottom'. There's a hilarious moment where Richie asks Eddie: ''Who's that dreadful actor that plays me? You must know him, that tosser who fell off the quad-bike!''. This was a reference to Rik Mayall's quad bike accident in 1998 which left him in a coma for days.
On another downside, the bit where Richie thinks he is having a heart attack makes for upsetting viewing now as this was how Mayall died in June last year. Overall, 'An Arse Oddity' was regarded positively enough to spawn another live show two years later - 'Bottom Live 2003: Weapon's Grade Y-Fronts Tour' - which turned out to be Richie and Eddie's final outing.
Funniest bit - trying to figure out a way to escape from the dome, Richie suggests that they try and get out through the holes they came in by. '' I don't think my mother would be too pleased!'', quips Eddie.
The show starts with Eddie fleeing from a group of gorillas of whom he owes a large gambling debt to and arriving on the island to discover that Richie has taken up cross-dressing. He has even went so far as to design for himself a pair of skimpy pink underpants ( which are so tight he can't get them off ). Eddie is also alarmed to find that their parrot has escaped from its cage. Richie explains that he has been 'Hawking' with the parrot. Eventually, the parrot appears back on the island, unconscious, having been attacked by a group of aggressive seagulls. Eddie tries to resuscitate the animal with a defibrillator but Richie sets the voltage too high and it results in the animal being blown to bits the length of the island. ''Where did he go?'' asks Richie tearfully. ''Pretty much everywhere!'' responds Eddie, matter of factly.
The first half of the show ends with Richie and Eddie trying to make a hasty retreat to the theatre bar before the audience get there.
In the second half, the two are taken from the island and dumped in a strange space-ship like dome ( hence the '2001' reference in the title ). It is not quite as bad as they think though as hidden behind the dome is a bar, which is later found by Eddie. The show ends with Richie and Eddie singing 'The Pants Song'.
'An Arse Oddity' is not a patch on the first two shows but is miles funnier than 'Hooligan's Island'. The script is more tightly written this time. I only knock one star off my rating because of 'The Pants Song' number at the end. I personally found it rather out of place. The 'dome' setting could easily have worked as TV episode of 'Bottom'. There's a hilarious moment where Richie asks Eddie: ''Who's that dreadful actor that plays me? You must know him, that tosser who fell off the quad-bike!''. This was a reference to Rik Mayall's quad bike accident in 1998 which left him in a coma for days.
On another downside, the bit where Richie thinks he is having a heart attack makes for upsetting viewing now as this was how Mayall died in June last year. Overall, 'An Arse Oddity' was regarded positively enough to spawn another live show two years later - 'Bottom Live 2003: Weapon's Grade Y-Fronts Tour' - which turned out to be Richie and Eddie's final outing.
Funniest bit - trying to figure out a way to escape from the dome, Richie suggests that they try and get out through the holes they came in by. '' I don't think my mother would be too pleased!'', quips Eddie.