Comments:
A night of comedy curated by Stewart Lee featuring acts that he, as a 12 year old, never got to see in their prime. The big names – Rik n Ade, Dawn n Jen, Elton and (thank god) Keith Allen are not here and the show is all the better for it. The acts are of the more surreal kind and its a real thrill to see people like Kevin McAleer do more than I’ve seen in a short Youtube clip. John Cooper Clarke looks exactly like he did in 1981 and delivers a machinegun speed ‘Evidently Chickentown’.
The Greatest Show On Legs do the balloon dance, Neil the Hippy and Nicholas Craig both appear thanks to Nigel Planer. Arnold Brown was there acting as if 30 years were a moment ago, as he has every right to do and Norman Lovett does ten minutes of nothing brilliantly.
Plus if you ever see a performance that doesn’t end with the artist marching across the stage naked with a firework up his ‘arris as ‘There’s No Business Like Show Business’ plays – they’re not trying hard enough.
The Audience:
Sadly the balcony was empty and I can’t imagine there was anything on TV worth watching on a Sunday night that is better than this bill. Three hours for 20 quid? You people make me sick.
It Made Me Think…:
All in all a night of nostalgia for some and a glimpse of the birth of modern comedy for others. As Arnold Brown said ‘If I’ve said anything tonight you didn’t understand, just look on it as profound.
It was a great night
To see John Cooper Clarke alone is £15 well spent but the undoubted other highlight was the wonderful Norman Lovett. The delivery and one liners were superb.
Pauline Melville as Eydie the Radical Housewife hadn’t performed in decades but also stole the show with her comparison on bin Laden and Jesus.
Alexei Sayle’s compering hit the right note. It was a mellow and reflective and bloody funny.
Kevin McAleer had the audience gasping for air and his thirty year old routine was a fresh today as ever.
Arnold Brown was the connection between old school jokes and absurdism and delivered impeccably.
Stewart Lee and Paul Jackson pulled off something of a coup with that line-up. I wonder how many nearly did a Tony Allen and tried to decline to go on.
The ending was a bit of a let down, Martin Soan was clearly having a great time pouring red wine over his completely naked self but it was an awful end after the strange but funny ensemble boogie at the end.
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.