Live Comedy

Review: Just the Tonic at Leamington Spa

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Just the Tonic’s comedy night returns for its second instalment at Leamington Spa’s Assembly. The whole affair is a smoother operation this time. There are no winding queues outside in the cold, and the revised seating arrangement provides a far more intimate setting. Despite there being less punters this month, the room feels fuller, with the rows of seats more central and the sides of the room blocked off.

Compere for the evening, London-born comic Tom Toal, is a natural. He works hard to generate an amiable atmosphere, chatting to individual audience members comfortably, without the stuntedness that can often come with crowd work. The snippets of material he scatters through the evening feel appropriate for the type of gig, and his ability to transition between heartwarming family anecdotes and sex gags is surprisingly refined.

Cheerfully self-deprecating, Simon Wozniak is a highlight. Each line of material is perfectly worded, with layers of outrageousness building in gradual increments. This is a comic who is confident with joke structure and can use his skills to present unpredictable punchlines which take the wind out of his audience.

But star of the show, perhaps rather shockingly considering the type of occasion, is absurdist live wire Paul Foot. Tantalisingly obscure, Foot has a kind of weirdness that is timeless. In fact, it’s refreshing to see just how well such a performer can do in front of a weekend club night crowd, as this is certainly not his usual scene.

With consistently unpredictable punchlines, quick gear changes and varied subject matter, it would be hard to find this buzzing housefly liveliness irritating. The opposite, in fact, is true. The predominantly innocent nature of the material makes Foot unexpectedly endearing. The charm comes in his sly looks out to the audience, the way he tosses his spaniel-like hair, the devious grin that follows his dead parakeet joke. Where his energy will take the room is unpredictable, and that’s the joy of this comic.

Just the Tonic returns to Leamington Spa’s Assembly next month, featuring Gary Delaney and Jonny Awsum. Tickets are available here.

Review: Tim Minchin – BACK

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© Damian Bennett

Tim Minchin is currently heading towards the end of an entirely sold out UK tour, his first since 2011, and he certainly receives a warm welcome from his British fans. Having written the music for the stage shows Matilda the Musical in 2010 and Groundhog Day in 2016, and spent four years working as a director on an animated film in Hollywood that got suddenly scrapped, he has returned to the medium that made his name.

Minchin begins with a new song, If This Plane Goes Down. This new addition to the comic’s musical repertoire serves as a perfect introduction to the show, combining dark, fatalistic humour with beautiful chord successions and heart-felt reflections on life achievements and the importance of family.

Minchin’s musical aptitude is something to be marvelled. Often improvised, he works the piano with his whole body, making the body of the instrument as much a part of the show as his own. He stands high on its stool, dances on its lid, he often hits its keys with his bare feet. The piano becomes an extension of the comic himself, giving every song, every note, an undeniable fluidity. Tim’s performance, as always, is highly physical, and his ability to work the large stage, and the room, comes across as effortless.

The reveal of a seven-piece band is truly a memorable moment, elevating the performance of Rock n Roll Nerd to full-blown musical extravaganza. Minchin’s musicians are enigmatic and enthusiastic, and it is thrilling to see the formation enjoying performing together. What is particularly joyous is the new twist this newly-formed collective gives to Tim’s older classics, from If I Didn’t Have You to the popular favourite, Prejudice.

It would be easy for this kind of comedy to come across a tad pretentious, but Minchin always balances this tricky line. He candidly and matter-of-factly confides in his audience about his mental health and the responsibility he feels as an artist who has kids to feed. He’s also, as ever, not afraid to look the idiot. This is most evident, perhaps, in his latest rendition Cheese.

With a self-confessed fixation on double entendre, paired with a knack for bullet-proof argumentation, Minchin is a master of articulating his anger and frustrations in a heartfelt, often gleeful way. Tim Minchin is, most definitely, BACK.

Review: Jon Ronson, Tales From the Last Days of August and The Butterfly Effect

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On his latest UK tour, writer and journalist Jon Ronson presents stories from his recent podcasting projects: The Butterfly Effect (2017) and The Last Days of August (2019).

A self-effacing yet straight-talking Ronson introduces his audience to a man called Fabian Thylmman. Thylmman is the starting point of The Butterfly Effect, which explores the impact of one single monetising move on the entire porn industry and all its workers.

When Thylmman founded the company MindGeek, which owns the world’s biggest free porn sites including Youporn and Pornhub, the effect on the porn industry was rather catastrophic. Those making and performing in porn films suddenly had their livelihoods taken away, as there was no longer a market for paid-for porn. The result, rather bizarrely, is the emergence of bespoke porn. Jon recounts tales of clients paying porn stars to cover themselves in condiments or even stamp on the client’s own stamp collection, with clips to accompany them that are unusual and amusing in equal measure.

Ronson’s more recent podcasting venture follows on from his exploration into the dark realities of the porn industry. He tells the story of porn star August Ames, who took her own life in December 2017. The show sees Jon attempt to investigate the factors that may have had an influence on August’s mental health, thus potentially being the cause of her death, including events that took place on porn sets, altercations on social media, and also the effect of certain, potentially negative, individuals in her life.

© Jon Ronson

Ronson’s ability to weave a story from a string of different events occurring at different times and in different places is uncanny. And he makes his stories personal too. Not only was he there asking the questions, probing uncertainties and challenging certain viewpoints (he provides audio clips of this), but he also interweaves his own personal experience into the narrative. Audiences learn how the experience was for him, along with his own hunches and worries, which takes this beyond classic investigative journalism and into the realms of memoir.

Not everything in life has concrete, determined answers. In fact, most things don’t. Sometimes we can never know what truly happened between certain individuals because first-person testimony is often unreliable or drenched in untruth. But Ronson’s skill for constructing a narrative, and building an argument whilst also considering other possibilities, makes us feel like we have a genuine, tangible connection to the story.

Jon Ronson has bravely entered a domain that most people don’t like to talk about, and this makes for a truly unpredictable and at times astonishing storytelling experience.

TICKETS ARE STILL AVAILABLE FOR JON RONSON’S TOUR HERE

Review: The Horne Section, That’s How I Like My Tour

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The Horne Section begin their show in the most unpredictable of ways, beginning with a faux sound check, where drummer Ben Reynolds is called to check the sound levels of the bass drum. Booming around the room is the mischievous voice of frontman Alex Horne, and his audience soon learns that this is no ordinary sound check. This serves as a very efficient way of introducing his extensive live band, consisting of Ben, Joe Auckland on the trumpet, Mark Brown on the saxophone, Will (or Willip) on bass and Ed Sheldrake on keyboards. Soon the band are joined by Alex as he’s carried onto the stage by four willing audience volunteers, and the madness begins.

Horne’s comic imagination fuels the folly. He dances around the stage with infectious childish glee and surprising energy, cheekily taunting and mocking his band members in order to get reactions out of them. The Horne Section provide a smorgasbord of jazz, puns and zumba. Seeing these sensible-looking, suited men doing such ridiculous things is hugely entertaining. The group are certainly not afraid of making fools of themselves. And they include their audience in a friendly, non-invasive way and this ensures a very comfortable feeling in the room.

© The Horne Section

The greatest joy of musical comedy is when the two integral elements are genuinely equally matched. These musicians are hugely talented, harmonising with each other with ease, performing with unpredictability and versatility. The show runs smoothly, as it is by now a well-oiled machine, and this is what allows the spontaneous quips and exchanges to shine brighter. Although we trust the group to lead us through the show comfortably and enjoyably, the off-script interludes are joyous because they give the show an exhilarating uncertainty.

And the Horne Section are excellent at manipulating their audience’s expectations, whether that be Alex appearing from underneath a giant top hat, or trumpeter Joe morphing into Henry Hoover. This show is full of surprises, and the group slather on the layers of ridiculousness as though they are icing a cake. There is no time to rest during this noisy, vibrant comedy extravaganza, and that’s what makes it so thrilling.

TICKETS ARE STILL AVAILABLE FOR THE HORNE SECTION: ‘THAT’S HOW I LIKE MY TOUR’ HERE

Review: Stuart Goldsmith: Like I Mean It

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© Matt Crockett

Stuart Goldsmith has been touring his seventh stand up hour, Like I Mean It for nearly five months now. On one of the last stops of the tour he entertains a room of largely devoted Comedian’s Comedian fans (presumably) at Birmingham’s Glee Club.

Every year that Goldsmith comes to this venue, he bounds onto his stage appearing happier about his material and his place on the comedy circuit than the year before, which is only right as this latest show is one that is solid in its structure, subtle in its callbacks and upbeat in attitude.

This comedian is rather rare in that he holds a different relationship to his audience than most other stand ups, most likely as a direct result of his podcasting background, which has enabled him to share elements of his professional and personal life to listeners on a regular basis. The benefits of granting his audience this insight into his life are clear to see, because we audience members feel like we know him and wish to support him (this is embodied by the tentative lady on the third row who quietly reassures him ‘you’re awesome!’ during the first ten minutes).

Like I Mean It is all about the changes that come along with marriage and having children. Yes, it’s a common theme, but Stuart’s observations are original and maintain reliable laughs. Pair this with elements of the surreal (physically acting out the life and death of daisies picked for daisy chains, and the preparing of French frogs for edible consumption), and it is easy to see a clear knowledge of structural balance. And Goldsmith is so renowned for being nice that moments where the narrative takes a turn towards the macabre are quite delightful.

After a short interval, Goldsmith returns to workshop the skeleton of his new Edinburgh show, End Of, not that it feels much like a workshop at all because it seems he’s already got most of his ideas locked down. He tells us to lower our expectations but it’s clear that he’s confident in this new material, and enjoying performing it.

This show is about being tired and wishing for a break from the unrelenting ambition that drives many of us creatives round the bend. Stu asks himself ‘how much more effort can I give?’ and his pernickety exasperations are contagiously funny. At the moment, the hour is a collection of somewhat disjointed ideas, but that can only be expected as the final couple of months of previews enable him to lock the show’s narrative arc into place.

There are three stops left on Stu’s tour of Like I Mean It: the Soho Theatre, Tringe Festival, and Cardiff’s Chapter Arts Centre. After this he will be performing End Of at this year’s Edinburgh Festival.

Review: Buffalo Comedy’s 4th Birthday

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Buffalo is a fantastic comedy venue in Cardiff, and it’s their 4th birthday, so it’s time to celebrate. I attend on behalf of Cardiff University’s Quench Magazine. The room is cosy, every seat in close proximity to the stage, and the atmosphere is nice; there are lots of groups of friends loudly chatting before the show begins. Everything about this night so far looks promising. Robin Morgan is a regular at this comedy club, and tonight he compères the show. He appears alongside Jenny Collier, Archie Maddocks and Rhys James, who will be performing tried and tested material, as well as brand new material, in front of this good-natured Sunday night crowd.

Welsh stand up Robin is quite a delightful performer, with a cheeky twinkle in his eye and an unquestioning politeness and consideration of his audience. Somewhat Joe Lycett-esque in his onstage persona, Morgan is the calm captain of this ship. He confidently interacts with the crowd with a natural conversation style. There is no forced compèring here, as Robin has a genuine warmth about him, seeming interested and thrilled by his audience’s responses.

© MoodyComedy

Throughout the evening Robin frequently references his fiancé and ten-month-old son, talking of his encounters with other mums at the baby classes (which he sometimes attends without his partner), who assume he must be gay. Although audiences may have heard this kind of material before, it’s Robin’s delivery that makes it something new. Perhaps it’s his personable nature (he’s open, sharing with us the name of his child and details about his family life), but there is certainly something about this comic that makes him feel like an already-established friend.

The first act Robin welcomes to the stage is Jenny Collier, the voice of match.com and a proudly Northern Welsh comic whose set also largely centres around themes of family and relationships. Collier is unassuming, friendly and not overbearing, with an innocence to her that she cleverly plays with by often contrasting her demeanour with ruder material, which the audience lap up. At times I found myself questioning the genuineness of some of the anecdotes shared. Though effortlessly able to make her audiences laugh with unexpected punchlines and side remarks, it sometimes felt as though there wasn’t enough confidence behind the narrative. There seemed to be a conflict in narrative, for example, as to whether Collier is single or in a relationship, although perhaps this was more due to underdeveloped ideas that will be tightened up in time.

After the first interval, it’s time for Archie Maddocks. Half Trinidadian, half Irish (his parents are Don Warrington and Mary Maddocks), Maddocks ascends the stage and announces: ‘welcome to your ethnic section for the evening!’. Archie has a really appealing way about him: he’s a confident performer but not too slick; sweet but no pushover. He chats to his audience as a collective with ease, seeming like nothing could possibly faze him, because he clearly knows his material is good. His analysis of Uber is a highlight for me, as well as his impression of a charging penguin he encountered on a recent work trip to South Africa (hilarious, but terrifying).

And finally, our headline act for the evening is Rhys James, who many would recognise from his increasingly frequent appearances on BBC Two’s Mock The Week. Rhys’ comedy, like most of what we have seen this evening, feels young and relatable (a lot of the audience are, of course, students). He has quite a brooding look about him whilst his material and delivery remain rather playful, which makes him an interesting character on stage, one that is quite hard to pin down. James is working through the beginnings of his new Edinburgh show and it certainly seems to be coming together nicely.

It’s clear that this comic knows how to construct a show, and, like the other performers tonight, he doesn’t shy away from personal family anecdotes. But the crux of this new show is more abstract, with references to raccoons on Japanese game shows, and the show even features a fable. The balance between longer form anecdotes and silly, overblown rants is interesting, and we can already see a narrative emerging. In the coming six months, I think this show will evolve into something very strong indeed.

So, the end of Rhys’ set signals the end of Buffalo’s fantastic 4th birthday celebrations. But luckily for us Cardiff residents, their regular comedy night will back on March 4th, with Lloyd Langford confirmed as a guest. You can buy your tickets for that here.

Preview: Samuel Lloyd – Piñata

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Sam Lloyd is a new name to my ears. The 24-year-old from Newport has been performing stand up since he was in his teens, but it feels as if this is the start of something bigger as he starts to put together the beginnings of his next Edinburgh show, Piñata. He performs the first preview of this at The Little Man Coffee Company in Cardiff, with two supports (Calum Stewart and Emily Broad) and MC James Dunn.

The show is primarily PowerPoint-based, beginning with a fast-paced, laughter-filled rundown of the comedian’s early life, with embarrassing photos and all. But he soon proves that he isn’t over-reliant on the projector as a crutch; Lloyd is more than happy to face his crowd and deliver top quality, inventive material that the small room just laps up.

Structurally, this Piñata clearly has a great deal of promise, despite still being on its first draft. With a big tone shift towards the end of Sam’s stage time, the comic moves seamlessly from anecdotal trivialities to a much broader, more serious topic: that of mental health and depression.

He speaks openly about his experiences of feeling unworthy of help, or perhaps just not even needing it. Although he skirts past the details of his depression somewhat, as Lloyd’s audience we are still made to feel as though this is a genuine sharing of some pretty close to the heart stuff. His message, at this point in the development of the show at least, is that depression can happen to anyone; we all get it wrong sometimes and forget to take proper care of ourselves and talk to other people about how we are feeling.

And this strange notion of presuming that we might not deserve to feel this way, as though we don’t have the right to be depressed, is absurd. I think it’s important that audiences hear this message, and comedy is becoming an increasingly popular means of getting such ideas across. And Sam does it with a seemingly effortless ease. He clearly belongs on that stage.

And with original call backs and a clear narrative arc, Piñata is surely almost Edinburgh-ready even at this early stage, eight months before the festival begins. I hadn’t heard of his name before seeing this preview, but I’m certain that we’ll be hearing a great deal more about Sam Lloyd in the next few years, and not just in Wales, but nationwide.

Review: Tony Law – A Law Undo His-elf What Welcome

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My first visit to Chapter Arts Cardiff is a memorable one. I am attending the Go Faster Stripe DVD recording of Tony Law’s latest stand up hour: A Law Undo His-elf What Welcome and am unsure what to expect from the zany Canadian comic this time around. I’ve heard he’s changed a lot in the past few months.

Tony Law arrives with his usual energetic vigour. He boasts a pair of Waitrose gardening gloves and has gaffer-taped his torso tightly, stating that he is ‘newly fat’, and is clutching on to two gymnastics ribbons. He opens the show with some interpretive dance. So far, so Tony Law.

But the performer has another string to his bow this year. It seems that he has become wise in his recently found sobriety. This latest show is far more self-reflective than previous years; Law has slowed the pace down ever so slightly and allowed a glint of vulnerability to shine through. He declares that he’s developed stage fright since giving up the drink, as well as a fear of crowds.

© Tony Law

A big change in Tony’s life comes from the purchasing of a ‘therapy dog’, a beautiful black German Shepherd. The comedian spends much of his time walking his new dog in the woods near his home. Of course, followers of Tony Law on social media will already be aware of this addition to Tony’s family, as he has a regular Instagram series entitled ‘Calling My Dog Back in the Woods’. His dog, as well as his family, are clearly this comedian’s world, and it’s truly a delight to see.

But Law’s comedy hasn’t changed as much as his general presence has; the contents of this latest show is similar to past years, full to the brim with off-the-wall concepts and ideas. He’s an auditory as well as visual performer, and the inclusion of music and various sound effects (note his series of aeroplane impressions and infamous microphone-foghorn) are interesting ways of breaking up the material and ensuring that the energy in the room remains at dizzy heights throughout the show.

Tony Law is somewhat of an enigma to me. No audience member can comprehend the journey Tony has taken, but his openness is refreshing. For a deeper insight into his transition from ‘off the rails’ Tony to the zen character we now see before us, listen to ‘Tony Law Returns’ on Stu Goldsmith’s Comedian’s Comedian Podcast. For those who listened to the initial interview back in 2014, you will notice a drastic different in his persona.

This comedian may have settled down considerably but he is still excitingly energetic. And the best thing about this whole debacle is that Tony Law seems to be enjoying performing so much more.

VISIT GO FASTER STRIPE FOR PHYSICAL AND DOWNLOADABLE COPIES OF STAND UP FROM AN IMPRESSIVE RANGE OF ACTS.

Review: Rhys James – Forgives and Adam Hess – Feathers

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Rhys James and Adam Hess have been touring the country with their latest Edinburgh shows, bringing them eventually to the studio room at Birmingham’s Glee Club. The audience gathered is small but the atmosphere is good; improved certainly by the obvious strong friendship between the two comics performing. They live together, enjoy annoying each other and frequently refer to each other in their sets. Adam can even be seen sat on the floor in the corner of the room during Rhys’s performance.

Rhys James’s comedy is sillier than I anticipated it being. The impression I have always had of him is a rather cutting, almost condescending one, and his presence on stage comes as a surprise. With strange idiosyncrasies like the abbreviation of “high presh sitch,” as well as the flippant “soz”, James’s comedy is energetic, playful and enthusiastic. Amongst the impression of careful craft in terms of joke and narrative structure, Rhys has charming elements of impulsivity, referring to the four empty seats on the front row: “They come to all my gigs.”

An indicator of Rhys’s understanding of the craft is his own comment on his comedy. He seems to be very self aware and reflective, casting opinions on his actions within the narratives as well as the reactions his jokes receive in the room. This comedian is able to develop a believable narrative that encompasses detailed and obscure observations he has made without leaving the show disjointed; in fact, it is rather seamless. Rhys James’s latest hour is excellently written. He is cynical and analytical, whilst remaining endearing, with the show even getting quite emotional towards the end as the comic considers his next fifteen years of life.

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Now, it’s not difficult to believe that Adam Hess was the naughty kid at school. Hess seems to have retained this strange blend of pride and shame, paired with an innate sense of mischief that makes him a really likeable performer. The comic tumbles onto stage with a somewhat frantic energy that builds as the show progresses, his material getting stranger and stranger as he delves further into rather odd experiences from both his childhood and adulthood.

It seems as though Hess has had a tough year. His extravagant tale of recent efforts to make a banana split alone on Valentine’s Day at 2am is rather depressing. But his flailing desperation isn’t dampening of the mood, but rather bordering on hysterical. Adam knows he’s an object of pity according to this narrative, and plays it to his advantage. And if you let your mind wander for as little as one minute, you will jolt back to attention having missed a multitude of ideas that fly at his audience with impressive pace. His joke economy reflects his attention span, perhaps, and watching Adam perform has moments that are exhilarating.

It is interesting to consider the effect of social media presence on the stand up style of these two performers. Both shows are well-formed, with space for spur-of-the-moment audience interaction and callbacks where each comic rebounded off the enthusiasm the audience were already reflecting back. There are concise jokes and multi-layered scenarios, perfect for the Twitter generation and incredibly handy for keeping the energy up within live performance.

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT RHYS JAMES AND ADAM HESS’S WEBSITES

Review: Katherine Ryan – Kathbum

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Perhaps a bit late to the party, as her DVD record at the Eventim Apollo is due to take place the following night, hundreds of fans flock to Birmingham’s Town Hall to see Katherine Ryan’s critically acclaimed and Chortle Award-winning show, Kathbum.

Ryan varies her support acts throughout each tour, and tonight’s warm-up entertainment comes from Stephen Bailey, who, as Katherine rightfully states herself, better fits the criteria for a headline act than a support slot these days in terms of competence in performance. Stephen is a wise head on young shoulders; reassuringly secure in himself and his act in a way that enables him to take an audience under his wing. With an attitude of confidence and independence, blended with a humorous suggestion of neediness, Bailey’s material is slick, but not so slick that audiences have difficulty warming to him.

Katherine Ryan has blossomed over the past year and this is clear from the moment she walks on stage, greeted by bellowing cheers of excitement and endearment. She appears surprisingly relaxed, but humble, explaining her reasons for always bringing a support act with her on tour before progressing towards the heart of the show.

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© Idil Sukan

This comic is constantly developing as a writer and performer, which is some feat considering how smart and cutting her comedy has been since her first UK tour in 2013. This latest show is about evolving as an individual as those we grew up with do the same, and the inevitable drift from those we used to relate to. Ryan uses this as a tool to discuss issues relating to overcoming the judgements of others and being assured enough in ourselves to make the decisions that are best for us. The somewhat-obsessive interest in celebrity culture is still apparent, serving as a metaphor for greater issues in society such as racism and misogyny.

Katherine’s comedy is self-aware in a triumphant sense, rather than a defeatist one. Her craft is admirable, with each narrative carried out to its conclusion and perfectly timed callbacks that fit into the performance, rather than shape it. She is professional, yet personal; brutally honest but not irrational in her cutting remarks with each issue being clinically dissected and evaluated before any ill-informed opinions are able to be expressed. And whilst she may introduce challenging concepts, Ryan always has her audience’s best interests in mind, assuming an almost-maternal role that shines through brightest when she talks directly to young female audience members; whom we might deduce to be her target demographic.

Katherine Ryan is not fazed by anything, it seems, whether that be hecklers or significant life events. The quality of her craft is creatively motivating; the content emotionally uplifting, whilst remaining delightfully unpredictable, accessible and genuine.

KATHERINE RYAN’S DVD RECORDING OF ‘KATHBUM’ WILL BE AVAILABLE SOON