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Austerity BingeAt Last! The 1981 Show was mostly terrific

Nudity, fireworks and an Irishman discussing birds. Definitely not Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow.

By Bruce Dessau in This Is London Posted on Tuesday, May 31st, 2011

A weekend of events curated by Stewart Lee culminated in a spectacular nostalgiafest which dusted off some lovingly remembered and some long forgotten acts that inspired the young Lee. It was not all terrific but much was. Mostly, though, it was a reminder of how political, surreal and downright dangerous the original alternative comedy scene could be.

Alexei Sayle easily prompted the biggest cheer.

The former fuming iconoclast would now make a serviceable Edward VII lookalike and while he now calls himself a writer he still fired verbal volleys with sardonic panache. Recalling his Liverpool roots, he encapsulated a dodgy Greek restaurant: “We’ve run out of pitta, do you want Hovis?” If Nigel Planer’s hippy Neil felt dated, Arnold Brown’s laconic wit was timeless. Red Dwarf’s Norman Lovett made a little routine with a shower cap go a long way and Kevin McAleer also raised comic minimalism to absurd heights describing a cute owl picture.

The show-stealer, however, was The Greatest Show on Legs collective. Original prankster Malcolm Hardee is gone but survivor Martin Soan led their traditional naked balloon dance with clownish aplomb. Proceedings climaxed with Chris Lynam reviving his banger-up-the-bum firework finale.

Then they left. Possibly to the funniest old people’s home imaginable.

Written by Bruce Dessau in This Is London on 31st May 2011. Filed Under: At Last The 1981 Show, Austerity Binge
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