Videos: Celebrating Not The Um Um Show

November 16, 2014

In order to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Not The Um Um Show, the group has uploaded all of the full-length stage shows to their YouTube channel.

A spokesperson for the show said, “Although the shows were meant to be live performances only, we videotaped them just for our own review, which is why the equipment used and the resulting video quality is sometimes pretty bad. Once or twice we had professionals tape it – and you can certainly see the difference.

“The VHS tapes languished and went moldy in cupboards and drawers for years before we finally got around to having them put on DVD, and now we want to get them out on the internet so anyone who is interested can see the whole thing.

“For those too young to remember Not the Um Um, the show started as a fundraiser for the Save Our Cinema society in 1984, but public demand was so strong the group, with a couple of changes in membership, started doing an annual show, with proceeds going to local charities.

“The show started at the 40 Thieves Club in Hamilton, moved to the Clayhouse Inn for many years, and then did a period of road shows at venues all over the island, before doing a 20th anniversary reunion show at the Fairmont Southampton in 2004.

“We were finally called out of retirement to be the opening act for the 2009 Bermuda Festival at City Hall.

“In the days when there was no internet, not much TV unless you had a dish, and less and less live entertainment every year, Not the Um Um became a solid favorite with many locals, and the shows were always sold out. It was never polished or professional, but that very quality of rough and ready local humor and satire was what made it appealing to local audiences.

“If you don’t want to sit through whole shows, there are also individual sketches and songs on the YouTube channel, as well as a nice video compilation of highlights that was produced for the 20th anniversary, called “Comical History Tour 2004.”

“Not the Um Um was written and performed, for most of the shows, by Bruce Barritt, Fred Barritt, Tim Taylor, Peter Smith, Chris Broadhurst, and Sean Dill.”

Videos of Not the Um Um; click to enlarge/play:

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Comments (6)

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  1. Family Man says:

    These guys are awesome.

    Lets hear it for Mohawk Radio; the sound of St. David’s.

    • Rosie Marangiello says:

      Great to see and hear this again, so many good times … now if we can help refurbish Clayhouse …

  2. Triangle Drifter says:

    Great to have the NTUU shows online where the Bermuda salt & humidity can’t get at them. My VHS copys disintergrated years ago. The DVDs are taking abit longer to do the same thing.

  3. Toodle-oo says:

    I never made it to any of the UM UM shows , regretfully , but the crew of the NTUU shows were funny beyond belief.
    Everyone and everything took lix as only a Bermudian with a real sense of humor could understand.
    For myself the 1987 show was the all time winner . So much material to work with I’m surprised it didn’t run for 3 hours.

    Thanks for this news , I have bookmarked the site so one day I can enjoy it all over again.

  4. Moonbeam says:

    Cudos to “Not the Um Um” ‘byes’ — but let us not forget the predecessor of that show — ie “Um Um’s the Word” ( ‘Um Um’ ) written and directed by John H White and produced by Sue White and Cyril & Barbara Cooper. “Um Um’s the Word” was launched in 1973 and presented 14 extremely popular and successful productions from which they donated over $ 700,000.00 to local charities.
    So here’s to all the “Um Um’s the Word”, and “Not the Um Um” casts and crews for their unique shows, and their significant contributions to our community.

  5. Triangle Drifter says:

    Pick a show. Any show. The topics then are as relevant to current affairs today as they were then.