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Edinburgh Preview: Gavin Webster – The Sexist’s Sexist

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2015GAVINWE-SU-300Gavin Webster is a comedian I have very much looked forward to seeing in the flesh, having made him my Comedian Of The Month last August. I finally managed to catch a preview of this high-energy Geordie comic’s latest show The Sexist’s Sexist at the MAC in Birmingham.

Gavin begins with his tried and tested material; clearly the comic’s safety net of top-quality, trustworthy gags. From the early stages of the show, Webster showed an obvious competency, coming across as a man who gets the job done and gets it done well. He exudes natural charm and a genuine warmth, which came across progressively strongly as the hour passed by and references to friends and family were made, such as his late dad’s blunt life advice, which was a profound moment to say the least.

The Sexist’s Sexist is not what it may first appear from studying the poster or name alone: it is a well-crafted, personal hour which showcases Webster’s story-telling skills and admirable casual confidence. Talking of his delight at being crowned Comedian’s Comedian on Christmas Eve last year, Gavin demonstrated to us all why he received the award in the first place; not only is he a lovely guy but he also clearly understands his creative responsibilities as a stand up. He expertly toes the line between comfort and danger, teasing us with elements of the two.

Gavin Webster’s latest show is a satisfying blend of home comforts and absurdist anecdotes, making him one to watch at this year’s Edinburgh Festival.

Gavin Webster is currently performing his show The Sexist’s Sexist at the Edinburgh Festival.

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH… GAVIN WEBSTER

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Edinburgh Preview: Alfie Moore – A Fair Cop Stands Up

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Alfie Moore-Tony BriggsIf you like your comedy shows to also be an educational experience, then Alfie Moore’s latest stand up hour A Fair Cop Stands Up may just be the show for you. Drawing upon his many years of experience as a policeman in Scunthorpe, Moore embarks on an hour of insightful observations and hilarious hypothetical problem solving. I caught a preview of the show at Birmingham’s MAC.

Alfie Moore arrived onstage armed with an abundance of facts and statistics which he delivered throughout the hour, using them as a springboard for jokes and anecdotes. There were occasional breathtaking moments of bitter sarcasm that gave the whole show a darker edge, such as Moore’s interjection regarding minority groups in the force: “we don’t allow people who are colourblind into the police force as they wouldn’t know who to stop search”. Other elements, however, remained endearing with the comic’s obvious nice character shining through, which served as an intriguing contrast against the shocking ironies of some of his lines.

Here we have a stand up who undeniably cares for his craft a great deal and the hours of work behind the material showed in the pages of notes he flicked through between segments. It felt at times that he was perhaps a little too eager to generalise ‘the public’ and our likes and dislikes, maybe this is a policeman’s trait, with some observational assumptions sneaking in as Alfie tried to tie his material together into a definitive narrative. I’m sure this is something he can work on over the coming weeks as the final parts of the show come together; it’s just a case of fine-tuning now.

Alfie Moore is currently performing preview shows of A Fair Cop Stands Up across the UK and will be taking the completed show to Edinburgh in August.

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Edinburgh Preview: Rob Rouse

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Rob Rouse

© Andy Hollingworth

Rob Rouse is a name I knew, but a face I did not, so it was great to finally be able to put a face to the name of this rising star in stand up comedy, at one of the Edinbrum Preview nights at the MAC in Birmingham.

Rob’s energy is consistently intense for the duration of his time on stage, perhaps reflecting who he is as a person. The general enthusiasm he presents his show with is admirable and would probably have been enough to see him through even if his material was sub-standard. But, of course this wasn’t the case and Rob’s delivery merely served to enhance what is already a well crafted, and satisfyingly personal hour, with material about his ‘wife’ and two young children, as well as delving (perhaps a little too far) into the details of his own health and recent visits to the doctor.

Throughout the show, especially towards the end, it appeared that a lot of what was being said was entirely impulsive, with Rouse bouncing off the audience as well as exploring his own ideas within the written show a little further. He showed skill in his noticing of which parts got the best reaction and running further with them, persistently driving ideas through to, and often past, their apparent conclusions, in order to get the most out of his material. Not only does this show great artistic bravery as a performer, it also allowed Rouse to demonstrate what an able storyteller he is, often delivering hilarious anecdotes that didn’t necessarily need any punch lines as such. The look in his eyes told us he couldn’t quite believe this untested, spontaneous material was going so well, which only added to the enjoyable element of comedic danger present in the room.

This hyperactive evening of comedy was greatly enjoyed by Rob’s audience and certainly, it was clear, by the comedian himself. It will be interesting to compare the end product of this show to the inner workings we were able to see.

Rob Rouse will soon be performing his new show across the UK.

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Edinburgh Preview: Angela Barnes: Come As You Are

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Angela BarnesAngela Barnes is a name I have followed for quite a while now, and I’ve even interviewed her, but only recently found the opportunity to see her perform live at the MAC in Birmingham: a preview of her second stand up show, Come As You Are.

Things have been changing for Angela in recent times. She has found love, had various strange health hiccups and her friends have all started having children. And though she is keen to share all that she has learned with her audiences, it is clear that her adventures and successes career-wise have not gone to her head. Her general demeanour on stage is very approachable and friendly, which made the whole affair feel a little like a lovely, small village meeting rather than a stand up show, particularly as a result of the decision to abandon the microphone early on.

The show itself oozed competence and natural flair, despite it being a work-in-progress with infrequent pauses and note scribbling (which was of course to be expected). The content fitted together well and it felt as though we, as an audience, left feeling like more of a collective, such is the relatability of Angela’s material.

This new hour contains multiple incredibly dark elements (a sick reference to Nigella Lawson here, an anecdote about a lonely pensioner there) which seem to crop up out of nowhere and really lifted the whole experience to a new level. Often following up her delightfully grim comments with questions like “was that too dark?” as though that’s a bad thing makes me worry that Angela might actually remove them from the show, but I greatly hope that she keeps them in. I’d argue that there’s still room for her to add more.

Angela Barnes is currently performing preview shows of Come As You Are across the UK and will be taking the completed show to Edinburgh in August.

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH ANGELA BARNES

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Edinburgh Preview: Paul Kerensa – Back To The Futon Part II

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In theming his show around the cult film Back To The Future and its two sequels, it was clear from the outset that Paul Kerensa’s performance at the MAC in Birmingham was going to be an interesting experience, particularly as someone with a limited recollection of the trilogy other than the obvious standout features (aka time travel and hoverboards).

This comedian has an openness which borders on vulnerability on stage, meaning that he appears to be very approachable and is immediately liked by his audiences. Kerensa used his interpersonal skills to ensure that this somewhat niche topic did not alienate any member of the audience. Over the hour, he managed to make the subject matter accessible by all, using Marty McFly’s adventures as a springboard for more relatable material.

Paul Kerensa

There was an unavoidable sense of nostalgia throughout the proceedings, with Paul clearly differentiating between his experiences at the Edinburgh Festival in 2006 performing Back To The Futon (part one) and where he finds himself now, having since married and had two children. The show itself is ambitious as Kerensa experiments with technology to create a homemade time machine, which seemed to still be in relatively early stages of production (understandable, of course, when you consider the difficulties of combining pre-recorded video with live stand up comedy).

The show was imperfect, but it was a preview after all and the flaws in the production helped maintain the friendly atmosphere that James Acaster had established an hour earlier. I have no doubt that the finished product will delight Back To The Future fans and general comedy enthusiasts in equal measures.

Paul Kerensa is currently performing preview shows across the UK and will be taking the completed show to Edinburgh in August.

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Edinburgh Preview: James Acaster – Represent

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James AcasterJames Acaster is quite undoubtedly one of the strangest stand up comedians currently working on the circuit in a way that truly delights any audience who is accustomed to seeing a more regular stand up style. Arriving on stage at the MAC in Birmingham to the sound of To Be a Pilgrim and remaining silent for an uncomfortably long period time, Acaster immediately proved his commanding presence.

What is most remarkable about this comic is his ability to craft a (presumably) entirely fictional story from a few disparate elements. He conceals his observations in make-believe anecdotes, such as eating fortune cookies in the cinema, which gave the show an otherworldly feel despite the events and people within the stories being regular, everyday and (predominantly) earth-based. The personalities in the stories are varied and detailed, and even the specific elements of “celebrity gossip” James includes are unusual to say the least.

He’s a very physical performer, often meaning that he doesn’t always need words at all, his gestures and facial expressions are enough to force laughter from everyone. The constant, erratic movements gave the show an unpredictable feel and James’ intentional jitteriness was reflected in his material as well; he was able to throw in spontaneous lines throughout so much so that some of the funniest moments were completely impulsive ones.

It is easy to see how well-rounded and effective this show will be when it reaches a stage nearer completion, but the amount of love in the room for James was clear and his preview was better than some completed shows I’ve seen in the past. The levels of self-depreciation were somewhat disappointing seeing as James is clearly such a capable performer, but this provided humour nonetheless.  And as an audience, of course, it was nice to be commended for being “useful”.

James Acaster is currently performing preview shows of Represent across the UK and will be taking the completed show to Edinburgh in August.

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Review: Bramall Comedy Night, David Morgan, James Dowdeswell & Adam Kay

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This week welcomed the sixth instalment of the University of Birmingham’s comedy night with David Morgan, James Dowdeswell and Adam Kay performing.

David MorganDavid Morgan was the night’s compère and also happens to come from Birmingham himself (if Solihull counts). He effortlessly cracked the formal atmosphere that such a beautiful music hall inevitably brings with his un-floundering energy and cheeky conversational style. Morgan expertly intertwined humorous personal stories into his interactions with the audience, which ensured his performance didn’t come across as forced which is an obvious obstacle for many MCs. His set was diverse but he tied all the threads together well, talking about his family, childhood and the prospect him and his boyfriend having children themselves one day.

Next was James Dowdeswell, who also showed that he is comfortable talking to an audience and incorporating those interactions into his comedy. With mannerisms that reminded me of Hugh Dennis, Dowdeswell reminisced of the time he met Stephen Fry, which gave him the opportunity to showcase his uncanny impersonation of him. As his set progressed it became clear that this comedian is rather accomplished at performing accents, which definitely enhanced his funny anecdotes about his hometown and experiences of mugging.

Adam KayAdam Kay, who co-wrote Crims, is not someone I had previously associated with stand up comedy, but I have since learned that he is quite a fantastic musical comic. His demeanour on stage is considerably sinister and, beginning with his darkest material, he certainly set the tone for some distasteful comedy that wicked people like me thrive on. Kay adapts many pop songs: adding new lyrics to develop wacky concepts with the chorus often becoming the ‘punchline’ to the core joke. In this sense, these musical interludes feel a little like stand-alone one-liners, but Adam’s clear aptitude for playing the piano was refreshing enough to avoid the occasional stale atmosphere that one-liners can build.

And so, another wonderful comedy night at the University of Birmingham drew to a close and I am already looking forward to the next event in May.

BRAMALL COMEDY NIGHT: MARCH 2015

Review: Bramall Comedy Night, Laura Lexx, Andy White & Christian Reilly

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Last Thursday brought the latest comedy night at the University of Birmingham, and, not wanting to break tradition, I obviously went along.

Laura Lexx

Laura Lexx

The compère for the evening was the lovely Laura Lexx, a comedian I had never heard of before, and proof that going to comedy nights such as these are vital for comedy fans who want to expand their knowledge and understanding of who is actually out there performing material. Laura is one of the sweetest and most delightful comedians I’ve watched perform, who was able to balance her well-spoken, polite voice with the occasional dark humour and abstract concepts. She was also the first person to ever pick on me in the “who-are-you-what-do-you-do?” sort of sense which is surprising given the number of gigs I’ve attended over the years, but maybe more of a shock for my friend who was also singled out and had never been to an event like that before.

There is something a little magic about hearing stand up material about the specific area you live in, and, coming from Birmingham himself, Andy White was able to give that to us. Referring to an audience member from Harborne as “Your Majesty” and making humorous digs at Birmingham City University (not to be confused with the university he was performing at), Andy crafted a set that was meaningful to the people in the room. With his naturally chilled manner and remarkable red velvet jacket, this comedian comes across very confidently on stage, which is always reassuring as an audience member in a relatively small crowd.

Christian Reilly

Christian Reilly

Christian Reilly was the only comic on the bill who I’d heard material from before, by which I mean occasionally hearing him sing a couple of songs on TotalRock radio with Jeff Leach. As well as obvious musical skill, Reilly has an aptitude for pushing boundaries with risky subject matter which gives his songs an extra, often sinister, layer. His style of comedy is all-or-nothing; he takes a stance regarding a topical issue or popular celebrity and works from there, incorporating harsh criticisms hidden in between bouts of silly humour. A highlight would have to be an Avril Lavigne song in the style of Brian Ferry.

As always, the comedy night at the University of Birmingham certainly did not disappoint and, again, I encourage you to join me at next month’s event on April 9th.

BRAMALL COMEDY NIGHT: FEBRUARY 2015

Review: Josie Long, Cara Josephine

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I have wanted to see Josie Long live for a long time due to her infamous political comedy but also because she is one of the most articulate, kind-hearted comics out there. Cara Josephine is her least political show for a long time and I think that may be because the message of this set is far too positive to be weighed down by the heavy nature of British politics- we can forget all that for a little while. Supported by the eccentric Tom Allen, these two supplied a superb Wednesday evening of entertainment.

Tom Allen

Photo: Steve Ullathorne

Tom Allen expertly juggles being slightly sinister with being endearing, friendly and flamboyant; his delivery fluctuates between being downbeat and slow-moving, and charmingly playful. With a presence similar to that of the well-spoken stand up comedian Simon Evans, Allen showed an incredibly dark streak; a welcome contrast to the abundance of crowd-pleasing ‘safe’ comedy that has emerged in recent years. Tom showed a talent for altering the metaphorical distance between himself and his audience, as we soon began to warm to each other and he opened up more and more about his family and his childhood.

Josie and Tom were very different in their material, delivery and stage presence but I noticed one major similarity: what they say is perfected by the way in which they say it. Tom Allen’s material would not be done justice if spoken by anybody else; he has a compelling presence on stage and a very distinctive voice. In Josie’s case, she uses her delightfully childish humour to break up heavily emotional or political segments which makes for a fantastically rounded and widely accessible show.

Josie Long’s Cara Josephine is a carefully constructed work of art. She begins on the surface, talking about her recent experiences taking Maths A Level as a 32 year old because she kept having nightmares about taking Maths A Level (I know, it makes perfect sense), and gradually getting more and more intimate until we reach the crux of the show: issues regarding our own self worth. I had heard that this was Josie’s most personal show to date, but had not expected her to be so wonderfully open about her past loves and losses, and make it so bloody funny.

Josie Long

Photo: Giles Smith

With a passion for poetry and an Oxford University education under her belt, Josie makes no effort to hide how well-read she is, and, frankly, why should she? I really appreciate the kind of comedy that values intelligence and the art of learning, and this show in particular enables audiences to learn about the woman on the stage, but also about her perception of events that happen to us all throughout our lives. This comedian talks to an extent of the difficult time she had as a teenager, and seeing where she is now, and despite only being seventeen myself, I think all of her fans feel a strange sense of pride for all that she has achieved.

This is because Josie Long is everyone’s friend. She opens herself up to her audiences, making herself vulnerable, all for the sake of her art, and I think that is something to be admired. Her comedy certainly blossoms because of it. With her infectious, bubbly personality, Josie has managed to build up consistently warm and friendly audiences which meant that the atmosphere in Wolverhampton was supportive and encouraging. This lady talks of growing old, but in my eyes she’ll be young her whole life: she has clearly learned a lot in the past few years, but hasn’t let this harden her in anyway and she remains as bright-eyed and spirited as ever.

SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH… JOSIE LONG

Review: Bramall Comedy Night, Andrew Ryan, Ben Norris & Romesh Ranganathan

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Last week saw the fourth instalment of the University of Birmingham’s ever-growing comedy night with a stellar line up consisting of Andrew Ryan, Ben Norris and Romesh Ranganathan. This month undoubtedly saw the biggest crowd so far which was very nice to see.

Irish comic Andrew Ryan compèred the evening and he was one of the best I’d ever seen fill this difficult role, with unwavering energy and and effortless charm. In a way that reminded me of Jason Byrne (no, not just because he’s Irish), Andrew is very skilled at developing a unique set based on the audience on the night, from what I saw. A fifteen year old on the front row received most of the comedian’s conversation as he was so young, which was a near miss for me, being seventeen and on the front row myself!

Ben Norris was next, walking on with a stern face and surprising us all with his lighthearted style of comedy; I don’t think many people were expecting him to be so lovely, but he really was. With hilarious personal anecdotes broken up by a few fantastic one-liners, Norris presented a perfect blend of the topical and silly, with the dark and twisted. I laughed all the way through his set, particularly because his observations of aspects of politics and religion were spot on, and would definitely pay to see him again soon.

Romesh Ranganathan

The last act of the night was one of my favourite stand up comedians, Romesh Ranganathan, and I was delighted to finally be able to see him live. Talking about his kids, one of whom is an “unacceptable human being”, Romesh’s comedy has something for people of all ages (he’d probably be horrified to hear that I am one of five girls, when he thinks three boys is ridiculous). His material is very specific to him, covering the things he has experience of such as parenthood, teaching, veganism and dealing with racism, all tied together with his trademark passive aggression and sarcasm.

It was a pleasure to finally see Rom in person and I will definitely be following what Andrew and Ben are up to from now on (and of course attending next month’s comedy night at the Bramall).

BRAMALL COMEDY NIGHT: JANUARY 2015