by Matt Eley COMEDIAN Neil Mullarkey is bringing his alter ego back to the stage in a special performance at the Comedy Store. L Vaughan Spencer, who is to self-help what Alan Partridge is to broadcasting, will be giving his unique advice to members of the audience o

COMEDIAN Neil Mullarkey is bringing his alter ego back to the stage in a special performance at the Comedy Store.

L Vaughan Spencer, who is to self-help what Alan Partridge is to broadcasting, will be giving his unique advice to members of the audience on February 5.

And due to the arrival of a mini-Mullarkey, it is one of the first times L-Vo (as the occasional Ham&High columnist is known to friends) has been on the main stage for a couple of years.

The comedian, who lives in Primrose Hill, said: "I haven't done too many shows because I quite like the fact that people who find it feel they have found something unusual."

But after five years of putting on L-Vo's hair extension and goatee beard, Mullarkey feels more confident in the role.

"Obviously I am a very charming and refined fellow, whereas L-Vo is completely full of himself. He has an element of charm but no self-awareness

and I quite like playing somebody like that."

But while Mullarkey spoofs the world of self-help, he is not that far removed from his character as he spends some of his time teaching improvisational skills at corporate workshops.

It all sounds very self-help and new age but Mullarkey says there are differences between the two.

He said: "What I am doing

is teaching methods of improvisation for people to apply in the world of business. I don't pretend to know the answers, I am just offering a view from another world. Whereas L-Vo does think he knows all the answers and will tell you what to do and how to run your life. So yes, the two things are similar but they are not the same."

He also admits that with L-Vo he is mocking himself and the male species in general.

"It is about man's frailties. For example, he says to be a success you have to moisturise and when I went on holiday with my wife for the first time she said I had more lotions than her.

"Things have changed for men. You have to worry about things like clothes when in the past you could just throw anything on."

He even goes on to suggest the L-Vo brand could expand with him bringing out his own moisturiser.

"They are many things it could do. I was thinking of a mobile phone text where you could get a self-help quote a day which could raise a laugh."

And as L Vo himself would say, "If you don't aim the arrow right, it will never land where you want it."

EVERY show Neil Mullarkey has performed as L-Vo at the Comedy Store has been sold out but the Ham&High has a pair of tickets for his February 5 gig.

Don't Be Needy Be Succeedy will not only feature L-Vo's stage show but also an hilarious

10-minute documentary about a workshop at the K Club in Ireland.

To get your hands on the tickets simply answer the following question.

Which major sporting event was held at the

K Club last year?

The Ryder Cup

Wimbledon

The FA Cup Final

Email your answer to matt.eley@hamhigh.

co.uk - first out of the hat wins the tickets.