Something funny happened over the Bank Holiday weekend: I was walking down the Old Kent Road and heard a South London accent!
Unbelievable. Even funnier was At Last! The 1981 Show, Stewart Lee and Paul Jackson’s attempt to recreate the buzz of thirty years ago when alternative comedy was about to explode.
They have persuaded comics to resurrect routines that have not been performed for almost all of that 30 years, got double acts to reform for this one-off event, and dragged comedians out of comedy retirement to make an appearance.
There were as many funny men in the audience as there was on stage. Me and young Jimmy played spot the comedian as we sat in the Royal Festival Hall bar. Frank Skinner, Matt Lucas, Sean Hughes and many others I recognised but not put a name to.
Bermondsey Boy Arthur Smith compered the first part of the show and exhumed old gags from his early days, one about ‘entering a marathon’ was crude but hilarious; his 1980s political jokes still have a freshness about them as the Tories are in government now, as they were then.
Comedians that had passed away were fondly remembered with some of their best lines, Malcolm Hardee’s ‘Doctor, Doctor’ gags getting an airing. Smith also did a passable impression of Leonard Cohen, which surprised us all.
Alexei Sayle came on and did a few introductions but did not seem too bothered about making us laugh: ‘ I’m only here to give validity to this thing,’ he told us with a sense of boredom. But he did want to let us know that he is now an author. Hello John, got a new book out?
It was an evening of legends. Ageing legends but legends nevertheless. Nigel Planer bringing back Neil for our delectation; the brilliant John Cooper Clarke giving us the one and only Chicken Town; Arnold Brown demonstrating why he has been at the top of the game longer than anyone else on the show and The Oblivion Boys showing us why they were not.
Memory of the night: The Greatest Show On Legs (Malcolm Hardee’s old gang) performing the famous Balloon Dance.
Joke of the night: ‘One out of three people weigh as much as the other two.’
Visual of the night: One naked comedian with a firework up his backside, spraying hot sparks over another naked comedian.
Now, that’s what I call a finale!
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube