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!
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
XPIJONpsY, Twitter
XPIJONpsY, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Zoot Cadillac, Twitter
Zoot Cadillac, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Dan McCaid, Twitter
Dan McCaid, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Herald Scotland.
Herald Scotland.
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Spursguy, Youtube
Spursguy, Youtube
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter