NEWSPAPERS


CITIZEN SINGH
"Billy Connolly spiced with curry" - The Scotsman

SIEGE MENTALITY
"Mattu may well prove to be the voice of his generation" - The Scotsman
"His unfailing sense of humour sends up everything and everybody, including himself ... an inspired script by the talented Gurmeet Mattu" - Glasgow Herald

COWBOYS & INDIANS
"The script itself is youthful, fantastical, verbally over-exuberant ... Mattu has created a quartet of thoroughly workable and believable characters ... the weird, exuberant, density of his language demonstrates beyond doubt that he has absorbed the unique rhythms and atmosphere of the city" -The Guardian


"This cheerfully fanciful tale of business derring-do and star-crossed romance brings together a thoughtful span of issues that relate to establishing one's own identity. Mattu's serious, sincere message would seem to be that the most important element in deciding who you are is to declare yourself a human being among other human beings"- Glasgow Herald


"Mattu approaches his subject with wit and sympathy. An intelligent, lively and funny play" - The List

A MsSIAH
"There is good writing here" - Glasgow Herald


"Mr Mattu certainly does not shirk big issues"- The Scotsman


SICK AS A PARROT
"What made this engaging small play was playwright Gurmeet Mattu's accurate ear for Glasgow speech and the neatly turned way in which he used the waywardness of adolescent devotion" - The Guardian

THE STORMER
(from Long Story Short)
"Gurmeet Mattu provided the most rewarding theatrical experience - an off-beat romantic comedy, full of incident, colour and suspense" - Sunday Times


"Of particular note was the sketch by GurmeetMattu" - Edinburgh Evening News


"The richest vein of comedy was mined in 'TheStormer' by Gurmeet Mattu" - The Scotsman

THE GIFTIE GI’EN US
(from Scotland Matters)
" ... held its good wine to the last. Gurmeet Mattu, already an accomplished playwright, is somebody we will be hearing much more from. His cross-cultural influences give him strong insight into the Scottish scene. There is a full length play here. I look forward to it with relish. Perhaps 7:84 might find its soul by doing it" - Sunday Times


"Gurmeet Mattu's 'The Giftie Gi’en Us', wisely saved till last, is the only one to address the question of nationhood head-on, neatly balancing an allegorical love story with a typically 90's marketing campaign" - The List


"The idea of independence is finally confronted in Gurmeet Mattu's excellent 'The Giftie Gi’en Us" - Edinburgh Evening News


PEOPLE

The following are reviews of my  novels The Stormer and I, Roger Knightly, taken from the Harper Collins Publishers website, Authonomy and The Sex Diaries from the website of Paradise Publishers.


THE STORMER (Available on Kindle UK | USA)


Jedward wrote,  “The Stormer is absolutely marvellous. It should be on the best seller list (and perhaps one fine day will be!) Your writing is superb and light and joyous and hilarious. You are proof that the genius of the writer shows through his work.”



Clare Hill said, “I really like this. You have a deceptively easy style of writing.”

Suzanne Adams said, “Never been to Glasgow but you write all that I can imagine. You describe Davina so-o well - is she your fantasy woman? “

Pat Black said, “In its warm glow of humanity - though never forced nor cloying - I saw a lot of Bill Forsyth's movies, that great west of Scotland artist; Hugh's dealings with the neds, the "friendly shag" gesture of the biker. The people and their reactions are real; the only hint of villainy, as you suggest, comes from the possessive copper who obviously wants to button down his beauty of a wife... while the bold Shuggy wants to set her free. Great humour and married with fine storytelling.”

Andrew W. said, “I love the quirky descriptions,  the way you throw the words around like he does the paint at the beginning. Superb characterisation, the city as much of a character as the people. Enjoyed immensely, very well done.


Carrots wrote, “Everytime I switch on the box, I seem to see Billy Connelly's irritating features, but this story fully compensates for the suffering I've endured before I could be bothered to switch off the box. The image of Glasgow at its phenomenal best is now restored for me by this very funny and human book.


Francesco wrote, “ When I finished this I sat around trying to think of something that was as original and funny as the text I'd just read...I failed. This is written with a pacy, easy prose; its full of clever conversation and is very entertaining.”
 

T.L Tyson wrote, “This is really, really enjoyable.  I love the opening sentence, piqued my interest. You have a natural quirky way of writing which made reading this captivating. It motors along at a decent pace. Has enjoyable characters and witty dialogue.”
 

miff wrote, “ I'm so into this. The characters are the kind of guys I would have spent time with back in Glasgow and you have captured their speech with ease. The plot is well structured and the setting very real (for me anyway). Sausage Roll St. LOL, just brilliant!”
 

Jane Alexander wrote, “I like this a lot, a heck of a lot. It is easy in its skin, has great characters, pace and faultless dialogue.”

andyroo wrote, “Original, enjoyable and down to earth. Fun reading that doesn’t take itself too seriously.”
 

Nick Poole2 wrote, “The pencil stab. "It's a muriel, ya wanker." The animal lurked inside her yet. It was an order. "You make sure that arsehole of a brother doesn't show up." The Bikers. "Can I shag you when you're rich and famous."
All places where I experienced that pang somewhere between admiration, "I wish I'd written that" and "bastard! fucking talented git."
 


I, ROGER KNIGHTLY  (Available on Kindle USA | UK )


Helena wrote,  “This is a very funny piece of writing.”


DDickson wrote, “What a lot of nonsense - wonderful, hilarious nonsense.


Keefieboy wrote, “Glorious Pythonesque insanity here.”


sodyt wrote, “Brisk fast funny barmy stuff.”


Isabelle Adams wrote, “Oh, this is hilarious. My twisted sense of humour is very satisfied by this.”

Verse_artiste wrote, “Hilarious stuff. I loved this.”


AlanMarling wrote, “I managed to hold in my laughter until the name “Ragnarok McPerson”, and that along with the epic hero names of the children tickled me. Also enjoyed the nostalgia over the pagan slaughter of chickens. I had tears coming out of my eyes at “she’s a handsome chicken but…”.  That was a pleasure.”
 

John Booth wrote, “This made me laugh out loud, over the top and hilarious. What can I say? No I mean it, what can I say?”

TheatreGirl wrote,  "Not another celebrity autobiography." No, it's not, and any readers who might think that will be quickly convinced that there is nothing ordinary about this book. First, there's bravado, but it seems delightfully free of self-absorption. The crazy ego of Roger (he's an actor, after all) translates into one of the most hilarious narratives I've ever read.”

T.L Tyson said,  “This is great. It really is funny. Writing humor isn't easy but Mattu pulls it off well.”
 

Miles A said, “I am thoroughly enjoying the book. The dialect truly enhances Gurmeet Mattu’s wonderfully perverse sense of humor. The fact that his characters do not perceive anything unusual about the situations and events of their lives makes for hilarious reading.”
 

Maureen Vincent-Northam wrote, “Hilarious, and if it's not all true, it ought to be.”


TheLoriC wrote, “This book has a delightful, amusing tone and pulls in the reader from the very first chapter. With its overall impressive writing and entertainment value, I, Roger Knightly will keep readers smiling and laughing right up until the book's final sentence.”


J&M JENSEN wrote, “Delightfully silly and irreverent piece of writing, but highly addictive.


Clare Hill wrote, “This is hilarious and faintly disgusting in places, making me feel guilty for laughing. I love the bike with no frame - pair of handlebars, that's a classic!”


johndan2 wrote, “HAAAA! Reading this I had to go make popcorn and get a Pepsi for full entertainment value. Big mistake! I laughed and blew Pepsi out my nose. What a natural storyteller!"


C.P. wrote, “A writer that doesn't take life too seriously. How marvellous.”


Lady Calverley wrote” “I desperately needed a good belly laugh today, and Mattu has delivered it. This stands out in a vast sea of the terribly serious. Not that there's anything wrong with serious, but good comedy is priceless and Mattu has a deft hand.”


Doug Bremner wrote, “This is a hilarious read and it goes smoothly right along from the very first line.”

Suzanne Adams wrote, “Yes this book is definitely for me. Luv the whole celeb take - but of course this is actually pretty well written! Oh so much to enjoy.”


ShuabParvez wrote, “Funny, quirky and original.”


ALPACAJUNCTION wrote, “I love the premise and once into the read I was hooked, shocked, amused, and driven to read more Funny and mad, had me smiling.”


Steve Ward wrote, “Holy chicken brothels! I've heard of the Chicken Ranch, but Gurmeet Mattu tops that. This is some of the most fascinating writing I have ever seen. There is something shocking in every paragraph and it draws the reader along like a powerful electro-magnet. Cross dressers, farters, bestiality, incompetent history teachers and a mother with a great mind for business. Beast brothels! Incredible! Mattu has something very original here and very entertaining. I love this tale and the straight forward style of writing. Really lifted my day. Fun read.”


demolinero wrote, “Excellent, tongue-in-cheek writing, with good humorous content and a hugely imaginative premise.”


sperber1 wrote, “Mattu has a great ear for character and dialogue, which he uses to good effect here to bring out the comedy in his characters. What I like is that the comedy comes from the characters, rather than just being one-liners or gags. A lot of imagination.”


Pat Black wrote, “Brilliant stuff. Living on a remote fart (and that is a joke that just keeps on giving), we get the typical bucolic, idyllic and bestial history of the McPerson clan as it gambols, devil-worships and clobbers its way through the young Knightley-to-be's life. There were so many gags it's difficult to pick out the best of them, but I laughed out loud at the part: "Despite the Atlantic gales, I can only ever remember endless summers, running barefoot over the hills and my father booting my arse for neglecting my chores".  What makes this even funnier is that on my real-life shelf at the mo, I've got Roger Moore's bio - almost identical in tone (though not, lawyers note, content). Great stuff.”
 

andyroo wrote, “What a fantastic idea! The antithesis to the inane drivel that plagues our bookshops. The dry, cynical humour is just fantastic.”
 

Onthedottedline wrote, “I was laughing out loud even before I'd finished the pitch - those names! - and the laughing continued all the way through several chapters. The humour is dry and oblique but also 'in-your-face', and it works perfectly. It's obvious from Mattu’s style that he writes plays - his dialogue sections are sublime - but I also wonder whether he’s missed his vocation as a stand-up comic! The characters/caricatures are just brilliant, and the twists and turns of the story lead us into an hilarious assortment of narrow passages and cul-de-sacs. Loved it!”

Lj Trafford wrote, “Personally I loved this. It made me smile, it made me laugh, it made me choke on my cup of tea a wee bit. It reminded me of the alternative versions of books that Spike Milligan wrote, Frankenstein etc. Yes it's filthy. But it's funny. And the two I often find go together.”


mikegilli wrote, “First place on my shelf. I've checked out 1000 books, but this is BY FAR the funniest. I'm stuck here in a library. They frown as i giggle. This is full of dazzling wit and word play smashing my composure with a host of original one liners.
 

Morven wrote, “Not sure what I think of this to be brutally honest........It is totally bonkers and I love that. It made me smile many times. A truly off the wall read with a distinctive wry and irreverent voice.”

Nik Vincent wrote, “The voice in your head when you're reading this should be Sean Connery's. If it isn't, it won't be nearly as charming or amusing.”
 

Jedward wrote, “I am speechless. This autobiography is simply outrageous! I have always wanted to read a true autobiography, one that I could trust to be absolutely true, but every one I have read has been mostly fictional. It is therefore with great gratitude that I encountered this true story. Finally, I realize that all the history and geography books have been lies. Finally, I know what Scotland is really like. The book has a major flaw, however. After reading 5 chapters I am totally exhausted from the sheer physical effort of trying not to laugh. I wouldn't want to show disrespect to the author by laughing. Nevertheless, I (with reservations) recommend the book to anyone past the age of consent.”


THE SEX DIARIES


Angelaawoh - Well written. Once you start you can't drop and realistic too. Very original work.


Anso - Terribly funny and great writing style!


Ankita - I am just one of the biggest fan of your book. It was thoroughly entertaining.


Gordon Lawton - Really enjoyed it, very funny.


Martha - I read this book in less than two days as I quickly became enamoured with it! I loved the journal style writing. It wasn't vulgar, but you got the point. I laughed hysterically at points! It was fantastic.


Buttons3 - Best laugh yet !!


Darlene Kainui - This body of work had me gut laughing out loud in public.
Fabulous.


Jumana - Interesting, not vulgar. abundance of humour. Liked it.


Henri Theodore - It's interesting how Mattu manages to put himself in the shoes of a woman writing her diary. He actually does a superb job!


 


Read the Orange Prize Script Report for my award winning screenplay Disciple by clicking HERE


All content on this site is © 2011 Gurmeet Mattu


Stormer.mp3

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