September
1997 – January 1998
SHOOTING STARS &
THE FAST SHOW LIVE, Labatts Apollo, Hammersmith
TO enjoy Shooting Stars, you have to appreciate the crazy humour of Vic and Bob, and the fact that they can get Mark Lamarr and Ulrika Johnson to join in with the bizarre evening.
There were other guest, too: Leo Sayer, Lisa Ianson, Jeff Green and one of the Nolan sisters. They were not necessary to the evening, but purely there to be a butt of jokes.
It was a great way to see a dying form of cabaret.
The Fast Show was what the audience was there for though. With everyone knowing the catchphrases and all the characters as if they were family.
The skill with which the show was structured with sketch smoothly following sketch was impressive, and kept up with the theme of the show that its name suggests.
I'd highly recommend the live show to fans of the TV programme.
But some of the jokes tended to go over the heads of people not familiar with the series. If you are a newcomer to delights of Paul Whitehouse, Charlie Higson and company, I suspect you'd miss out on most of the fun. And taking into account the high door prices, I wouldn't bother to see this show, if you're in that boat.
STAR RATING (out of five): **** for fans, ** for non-fans
M. Newton
FRIDAY NIGHT AT THE AZTEC, CRYSTAL PALACE
IT was my first time at this club above a Mexican restaurant but not my first time watching Al Murray, the Pub Landlord. There was only one other act on the bill, with the exception of the amusing compere, and that was R Dave, an entertaining Scouser with a good line in self-deprecating wit and Scouse-knocking humour.
Perhaps he was on slightly too long. But he had good patter and gags and was a very enjoyable warm-up.
After an extended interval and lots of problems with the microphone along came the Pub Landlord. Having seen him over the last couple of years in Edinburgh, I knew what to expect - but he's still breathtaking.
His act is not only great comedy, it's also a great piece of acting and performance. The audience was into it from the word go and Murray got better and better as we became more and more entranced. Despite more microphone hassle, he was quick and clever, crude and erudite.
There's no doubt Al Murray should be seen live - and on TV much more, as well.
STAR RATING (out of five): ****
ANTHONY LILLEY
LES KEEN, THE COMEDY CAFE, LONDON EC2.
LES Keen was a worthy headline act for a Thursday night at the Cafe, sporting a good range of material performed with hilarious facial expressions.
But it was a mistake for the Cafe to put on Irish old timer Vincent Hayes as a surprise, extra act. To top a good headliner when the audience are tired and ready to go home, you really need a star, or at least a very sharp and lively performer.
Hayes looked like something the cat had dragged in. His set was slow and confused and for me turned the end of the evening into one big anti-climix.
George Egg, the opening act, had also been weak. His sick humour and feeble comic magic left me as cold as a corpse.
The fact that he got his biggest laugh by stripping naked, showing off his corpulent form and large tattoo, says it all.
Conor Moloney was fair to middling. But his material - on meeting his girlfriend's parents, having orgasms etc. - was highly predictable. Moloney's a man you can afford to miss.
STAR RATING (out of five): **
Zoe Smith
JOHN HEGLEY AND NIGEL, Bloomsbury Theatre, WC1
JOHN Hegley entertained us with a combination of stories, poems, songs (accompanied by Nigel), a slide show, dancing, a bit of French - and even a few jokes.
All was based around Hegley's life and a cosy atmosphere - almost reminiscent of school - formed, possibly aided by the large number of students in the audience.
The venue was good, although I wasn't so sure about the silver streamers making up the set.
And Hegley's tone throughout was friendly and comfortable allowing the audience to relax into the performance, forgetting their worries and enjoying themselves.
STAR RATING (out of five): ***
M. Newton
BELLY LAUGHS, CROYDON
GLOBETROTTING Nick Wilty took the audience on a comedy tour of the world - leaving some of them with jetlag.
He's a good turn and excellent storyteller, but has to be careful not zip, verbally, from one country to another too fast. But his Kenneth Williams impression went down a treat.
Supporting acts Stuart Goodman and Pamela Philips also did themselves proud, and MC Charlotte Palmer created a friendly atmosphere - bribing the audience with crisps.
STAR RATING (out of five): ***
Penelope Petre
NEW ACT NIGHT AT THE COMEDY CAFE, EC2
AN astonishingly-strong line-up of new comedians thrust themselves into the limelight at Comedy Cafe, though in all truth some of them were experienced hands.
Mickey Flanagan won the night with a blisteringly-funny set which was flawless in its delivery and pace. He was an extremely hard act to match.
Howard Reed had a good bash at it, however, with more offbeat material than Flanagan and some neat comic ideas, and gagmeister Andy McConnell, audience interaction king Alexander Graham and most of the other acts also made their mark.
It turned out to be a very different night from the one I expected arriving at the venue to find rotund Ricky T dying on his behind and being heckled from the bar by the club's owner.
STAR RATING (out of five): ****
John Behrens
SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE COMEDY BREWHOUSE, ISLINGTON, LONDON N1.
A DRUNKEN and unruly audience added unnecessary tension to this new comics' night in north London.
The evening kicked off fairly soberly with newcomer Ian Bainbridge starting his act with an old opening line, Dave Holland telling some good Cliff Richard jokes in an otherwise scatty act, and Paul Coombs cracking his corny gags too fast.
After the first interval, character comedian Tommy Fate - probably the best act of the night - told bizarre shaggy sheep stories to loud heckling from the back of the room where a large group of increasingly-sozzled yobs had placed their smelly butts.
Gay comic James Holmes looked like he was dying for his first two or three minutes on stage, but using the techniques of therapy, on which he bases his act, he managed to work a minor miracle and get the audience back on his side.
After the second interval, matters took a turn for the worse. The uncouth yobs at the back had turned into a baying mob, giving comics little chance to get their acts heard.
Only Tony Hindle managed to ride the storm and only by plunging the show into the gutter: concentrating on strong knob jokes and mooning at the audience. Not a pretty sight!
STAR RATING (out of five): *
John Behrens
SEAN PERCIVAL, COMEDY CAFE, EC2.
WITH his shoulder-length hair and strong West Midlands accent, Percival could be a mutant Slade member transported to today from the seventies through a comedy time warp.
Nonetheless the Dudley lad came up with goodies at the Cafe, with a fast and imaginative set that never lost its way.
His sex gags are his best material: sex and Steve Davis; women priests and child abuse; strip searches and his G-spot.
It was enough to make one old bag in the audience shout "that's disgusting" and then talk loudly over the rest of the performance!
Supporting act Harry Denford, of South London, is a massive bloke. But this male Jo Brand has great stage presence and some fine lines. It's a shame he struts up and down constantly on stage, like a caged tiger at London Zoo.
Newcomer Paddy Bramwells did all right. He has OK delivery and good accents but his material is all too familiar: domestic cats, the cruxification, yawn. . .
Overall, it was not a bad night's entertainment.
STAR RATING (out of five): ***
John Behrens
DOWNSTAIRS AT THE KING'S HEAD, CROUCH END, LONDON
LACONIC Alan Francis faced an unexpected challenge - a middle-aged skinhead heckler who had an old score to settle.
Despite a torrent of abuse from the yob, Francis kept his cool, putting down his adversary with great panache.
The skinhead, who claimed to have suffered in a restaurant because Francis had jumped the queue, was silenced by the Edinburgh lad's wit.
Other acts Mickey Flanagan, a cheeky Cock-er-ney with some crafty material, and magician Ian Keable, also worked their magic.
STAR RATING (out of five): ****
Penelope Petre
Dave Thompson at JOE'S COMEDY MADHOUSE, London N16.
DAVE THOMPSON headlined the 21st night of the Madhouse - at a cracking new venue in Stoke Newington - in magnificent form with some great new material and wonderful seasoned gags.
The capacity audience chanted "Tinky, Winky" as he approached the stage - a reference to the Teletubbies role from which Thompson was fired over the summer.
But the maestro brushed his greeting aside with a knob gag and went on to deliver one of the best sets the Madhouse has ever seen.
He was ably supported by gay comic Simon Bolton, dealing wickedly with a juvenile and sozzled heckler at the back.
And newcomer Kevin, whose split personality act came as a total surprise, rounded off a good evening of comedy.
STAR RATING (out of five): ***
Juliet Loblich
TUT 'N' SHIVE COMEDY CABARET, HIGHBURY CORNER, LONDON N1
IRANIAN funnygirl Shappi Khorsandi was polished and punchy, headlining an excellent night of new comedy talent at this little club in Islington.
Khorsandi has come on in leaps and bounds of late, playing the audience skilfully before getting into her regular material - being Iranian, her dad's appalling grasp of English and working as a nude life model when you're a bit on the fat and hairy side.
Actor Mike Eaves showed his potential with a gentle set that relied heavily on his stage skills. But not as heavily as Daniel Kitson whose proud boast of having no act is undoubtedly true. The talented drama student makes up with a lot of spontaneous fun, offbeat banter and brass neck.
STAR RATING (out of five): ****
Juliet Loblich
HERSTERICS, Highbury Corner, London N1
ANOTHER weird night at this female-comics-only club!
American comedienne Justin Rosenholtz pretty well died on her arse doing an extended set, and it was hard to say quite why.
Her material was weak, but much of it was passable; her style of delivery was OK; perhaps her humour was simply too American in its feel for the British audience.
Catherine Tate did better, although too many of her gags are on being ginger, and there was something very irritating about her.
Overall, Hersterics has too much nervous energy for a small club. Compere Laura Shavin manically strides up and down the corridor outside the room between her links, which are generally very low in humorous content and a bit too school teachery.
What's more, headline act Sally Holloway was shaking like a leaf with stage fright - a factor that certainly did not enhance her performance.
STAR RATING (out of five): ***
John Behrens
GRADUATION NIGHT AT THE BULL, HIGH BARNET, LONDON
THE London Evening Standard invited punters to see a "crucifixion" at the graduates' performance night that marked the end of The Bull's comedy course - and they turned up in their droves.
First on was Ava, who quickly won over the baying hounds in the audience. Next was Shappi Khorsandi whose superb set about her Middle Eastern background had the crowd in stitches.
After the interval came deadpan Joe Wilson whose gags both shocked and amused. Another newcomer, Donald Hunter, put in a major effort and won some laughs, but struggled to remember his gags on stage. And American headliner Daisy Gardner was superb. No nails or cross had been needed after all.
STAR RATING (out of five): *****
-- John Behrens
JOHNNY VEGAS, The Talk of London, London
THE master of the metaphor was on superlative form with a show that takes the pee out of pathos - and puts the potty back into pottery.
Vegas's power over the audience is extraordinary, but he does not abuse it. Even hecklers are left with a warm glow and a one-minute tea pot for keeps.
STAR RATING (out of five): *****
John Behrens.
MARK THOMAS, THE BUCCANEERS COMEDY CLUB, THE HOPE, LONDON W1
THE amazing Mark Thomas performing in a pub's upstairs room little bigger than a broom cupboard. It hardly seems credible - but it happened at the Second Anniversary bash of the Buccaneers Comedy club.
Headliner Mark is the ultimate pro - with a gift for judging his audience, a wonderful sense of movement, and brilliant subversive material.
His drugs material may owe something to the late, great American comic Bill Hicks, but there is no doubting Thomas's political knowledge or commitment - he blows the likes of Ben Elton away in that department. And the intelligence behind his jokes is remarkable for a stand-up working at any level.
All the same, an extraordinarily drunk woman in the audience continually interrupted Mark Thomas when he was progressing onto his most challenging material. A shame, but with a name like Buccaneers, you could hardly refuse the crew their ration of rum.
STAR RATING (out of five): ****
John Behrens.
AL MURRAY - THE PUB LANDLORD, Comedy Cafe, London
IF there was any doubt that Al Murray is the king of the character act, this evening dispelled it.
He performed an electrifying set as The Pub Landlord, a character he has successfully taken way beyond what you would have thought possible.
In a wide-ranging set, Murray even got into mathematics: Cockneys + Place = Fight.
Therefore, Fight - Cockneys = Place, or Fight - Place = Cockneys. And Fight/Cockneys = ...er... Anyway, just go to see him!
STAR RATING (out of five): *****
Peter Guest
HERSTERICS, Islington, North London
BRUMMIE lass Jo Enright worked her Birmingham background beautifully with some sharp material about growing up in one of England's less-admired cities.
And she also played up her lack of height in a most pleasant performance at this club for female stand-ups.
At the other end of the class spectrum, tall and posh former model Lucy Bayler was superb poking fun at her life with the smart set.
STAR RATING: ****
Juliet Loblich
Hitchcock's Half Hour, Joe's Comedy Madhouse, London N16.
CREATIVE double-act Hitchcock's Half Hour performed a highly-inventive set to the evident delight of the Madhouse audience.
Coupling razor-sharp impressions with character acting and surreal stand-up, Neil and Tom really put Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer to shame.
Kate Tym also stormed the show with a blue set which left little to the imagination.
After that, who would have thought a comic could have lowered the tone of the evening? Jimbo managed it, proving the line between comic genius and total insanity is indeed a thin one.
Four others comedians, Meryl O'Rourke, Dave Holland, Conor Moloney and Dave Webb, also entertained with verve, rounding off a good evening.
STAR RATING (out of five): ****
John Behrens
GINA RYAN, Hersterics, Tut and Shive, Islington, London.
RYAN is a large woman carrying a heap of emotional baggage - some of it funny, much of it just sad.
She won laughs easily from the predominantly gay female audience at this club which puts on only women acts. But her talk of anti-depressants and her loveless marriage coated her performance in pathos, and was all too believable.
Moreover, perhaps, the Essex girl jokes are a too little dated for 1997. Ryan should use her talent to tackle more original material - and try to leave the cliches behind.
Catherine Tate, who on before Ryan, was hardly polished, but had some passable gags about being a red head. She, however, is a hell of a long way to go before she really starts to make waves in the comedy world.
STAR RATING (out of five): ***
John Behrens
TERRY TITTERS'S FULL LENGTH, New End Theatre, Hampstead, London
CHARACTER actor Terry Kilkelly's attempt at a parody of a washed-up, alcoholic club comedian - and his equally-sleazy sister and gay brother - was neither remarkably funny nor well observed.
It is doubtful whether telling a load of worn-out old jokes as part of a feeble send-up is any better than doing it sincerely. Unless you're really desperate, steer well clear.
STAR RATING (out of five): **
John Behrens
TO enjoy Shooting Stars, you have to appreciate the crazy humour of Vic and Bob, and the fact that they can get Mark Lamarr and Ulrika Johnson to join in with the bizarre evening.
There were other guest, too: Leo Sayer, Lisa Ianson, Jeff Green and one of the Nolan sisters. They were not necessary to the evening, but purely there to be a butt of jokes.
It was a great way to see a dying form of cabaret.
The Fast Show was what the audience was there for though. With everyone knowing the catchphrases and all the characters as if they were family.
The skill with which the show was structured with sketch smoothly following sketch was impressive, and kept up with the theme of the show that its name suggests.
I'd highly recommend the live show to fans of the TV programme.
But some of the jokes tended to go over the heads of people not familiar with the series. If you are a newcomer to delights of Paul Whitehouse, Charlie Higson and company, I suspect you'd miss out on most of the fun. And taking into account the high door prices, I wouldn't bother to see this show, if you're in that boat.
STAR RATING (out of five): **** for fans, ** for non-fans
M. Newton
FRIDAY NIGHT AT THE AZTEC, CRYSTAL PALACE
IT was my first time at this club above a Mexican restaurant but not my first time watching Al Murray, the Pub Landlord. There was only one other act on the bill, with the exception of the amusing compere, and that was R Dave, an entertaining Scouser with a good line in self-deprecating wit and Scouse-knocking humour.
Perhaps he was on slightly too long. But he had good patter and gags and was a very enjoyable warm-up.
After an extended interval and lots of problems with the microphone along came the Pub Landlord. Having seen him over the last couple of years in Edinburgh, I knew what to expect - but he's still breathtaking.
His act is not only great comedy, it's also a great piece of acting and performance. The audience was into it from the word go and Murray got better and better as we became more and more entranced. Despite more microphone hassle, he was quick and clever, crude and erudite.
There's no doubt Al Murray should be seen live - and on TV much more, as well.
STAR RATING (out of five): ****
ANTHONY LILLEY
LES KEEN, THE COMEDY CAFE, LONDON EC2.
LES Keen was a worthy headline act for a Thursday night at the Cafe, sporting a good range of material performed with hilarious facial expressions.
But it was a mistake for the Cafe to put on Irish old timer Vincent Hayes as a surprise, extra act. To top a good headliner when the audience are tired and ready to go home, you really need a star, or at least a very sharp and lively performer.
Hayes looked like something the cat had dragged in. His set was slow and confused and for me turned the end of the evening into one big anti-climix.
George Egg, the opening act, had also been weak. His sick humour and feeble comic magic left me as cold as a corpse.
The fact that he got his biggest laugh by stripping naked, showing off his corpulent form and large tattoo, says it all.
Conor Moloney was fair to middling. But his material - on meeting his girlfriend's parents, having orgasms etc. - was highly predictable. Moloney's a man you can afford to miss.
STAR RATING (out of five): **
Zoe Smith
JOHN HEGLEY AND NIGEL, Bloomsbury Theatre, WC1
JOHN Hegley entertained us with a combination of stories, poems, songs (accompanied by Nigel), a slide show, dancing, a bit of French - and even a few jokes.
All was based around Hegley's life and a cosy atmosphere - almost reminiscent of school - formed, possibly aided by the large number of students in the audience.
The venue was good, although I wasn't so sure about the silver streamers making up the set.
And Hegley's tone throughout was friendly and comfortable allowing the audience to relax into the performance, forgetting their worries and enjoying themselves.
STAR RATING (out of five): ***
M. Newton
BELLY LAUGHS, CROYDON
GLOBETROTTING Nick Wilty took the audience on a comedy tour of the world - leaving some of them with jetlag.
He's a good turn and excellent storyteller, but has to be careful not zip, verbally, from one country to another too fast. But his Kenneth Williams impression went down a treat.
Supporting acts Stuart Goodman and Pamela Philips also did themselves proud, and MC Charlotte Palmer created a friendly atmosphere - bribing the audience with crisps.
STAR RATING (out of five): ***
Penelope Petre
NEW ACT NIGHT AT THE COMEDY CAFE, EC2
AN astonishingly-strong line-up of new comedians thrust themselves into the limelight at Comedy Cafe, though in all truth some of them were experienced hands.
Mickey Flanagan won the night with a blisteringly-funny set which was flawless in its delivery and pace. He was an extremely hard act to match.
Howard Reed had a good bash at it, however, with more offbeat material than Flanagan and some neat comic ideas, and gagmeister Andy McConnell, audience interaction king Alexander Graham and most of the other acts also made their mark.
It turned out to be a very different night from the one I expected arriving at the venue to find rotund Ricky T dying on his behind and being heckled from the bar by the club's owner.
STAR RATING (out of five): ****
John Behrens
SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE COMEDY BREWHOUSE, ISLINGTON, LONDON N1.
A DRUNKEN and unruly audience added unnecessary tension to this new comics' night in north London.
The evening kicked off fairly soberly with newcomer Ian Bainbridge starting his act with an old opening line, Dave Holland telling some good Cliff Richard jokes in an otherwise scatty act, and Paul Coombs cracking his corny gags too fast.
After the first interval, character comedian Tommy Fate - probably the best act of the night - told bizarre shaggy sheep stories to loud heckling from the back of the room where a large group of increasingly-sozzled yobs had placed their smelly butts.
Gay comic James Holmes looked like he was dying for his first two or three minutes on stage, but using the techniques of therapy, on which he bases his act, he managed to work a minor miracle and get the audience back on his side.
After the second interval, matters took a turn for the worse. The uncouth yobs at the back had turned into a baying mob, giving comics little chance to get their acts heard.
Only Tony Hindle managed to ride the storm and only by plunging the show into the gutter: concentrating on strong knob jokes and mooning at the audience. Not a pretty sight!
STAR RATING (out of five): *
John Behrens
SEAN PERCIVAL, COMEDY CAFE, EC2.
WITH his shoulder-length hair and strong West Midlands accent, Percival could be a mutant Slade member transported to today from the seventies through a comedy time warp.
Nonetheless the Dudley lad came up with goodies at the Cafe, with a fast and imaginative set that never lost its way.
His sex gags are his best material: sex and Steve Davis; women priests and child abuse; strip searches and his G-spot.
It was enough to make one old bag in the audience shout "that's disgusting" and then talk loudly over the rest of the performance!
Supporting act Harry Denford, of South London, is a massive bloke. But this male Jo Brand has great stage presence and some fine lines. It's a shame he struts up and down constantly on stage, like a caged tiger at London Zoo.
Newcomer Paddy Bramwells did all right. He has OK delivery and good accents but his material is all too familiar: domestic cats, the cruxification, yawn. . .
Overall, it was not a bad night's entertainment.
STAR RATING (out of five): ***
John Behrens
DOWNSTAIRS AT THE KING'S HEAD, CROUCH END, LONDON
LACONIC Alan Francis faced an unexpected challenge - a middle-aged skinhead heckler who had an old score to settle.
Despite a torrent of abuse from the yob, Francis kept his cool, putting down his adversary with great panache.
The skinhead, who claimed to have suffered in a restaurant because Francis had jumped the queue, was silenced by the Edinburgh lad's wit.
Other acts Mickey Flanagan, a cheeky Cock-er-ney with some crafty material, and magician Ian Keable, also worked their magic.
STAR RATING (out of five): ****
Penelope Petre
Dave Thompson at JOE'S COMEDY MADHOUSE, London N16.
DAVE THOMPSON headlined the 21st night of the Madhouse - at a cracking new venue in Stoke Newington - in magnificent form with some great new material and wonderful seasoned gags.
The capacity audience chanted "Tinky, Winky" as he approached the stage - a reference to the Teletubbies role from which Thompson was fired over the summer.
But the maestro brushed his greeting aside with a knob gag and went on to deliver one of the best sets the Madhouse has ever seen.
He was ably supported by gay comic Simon Bolton, dealing wickedly with a juvenile and sozzled heckler at the back.
And newcomer Kevin, whose split personality act came as a total surprise, rounded off a good evening of comedy.
STAR RATING (out of five): ***
Juliet Loblich
TUT 'N' SHIVE COMEDY CABARET, HIGHBURY CORNER, LONDON N1
IRANIAN funnygirl Shappi Khorsandi was polished and punchy, headlining an excellent night of new comedy talent at this little club in Islington.
Khorsandi has come on in leaps and bounds of late, playing the audience skilfully before getting into her regular material - being Iranian, her dad's appalling grasp of English and working as a nude life model when you're a bit on the fat and hairy side.
Actor Mike Eaves showed his potential with a gentle set that relied heavily on his stage skills. But not as heavily as Daniel Kitson whose proud boast of having no act is undoubtedly true. The talented drama student makes up with a lot of spontaneous fun, offbeat banter and brass neck.
STAR RATING (out of five): ****
Juliet Loblich
HERSTERICS, Highbury Corner, London N1
ANOTHER weird night at this female-comics-only club!
American comedienne Justin Rosenholtz pretty well died on her arse doing an extended set, and it was hard to say quite why.
Her material was weak, but much of it was passable; her style of delivery was OK; perhaps her humour was simply too American in its feel for the British audience.
Catherine Tate did better, although too many of her gags are on being ginger, and there was something very irritating about her.
Overall, Hersterics has too much nervous energy for a small club. Compere Laura Shavin manically strides up and down the corridor outside the room between her links, which are generally very low in humorous content and a bit too school teachery.
What's more, headline act Sally Holloway was shaking like a leaf with stage fright - a factor that certainly did not enhance her performance.
STAR RATING (out of five): ***
John Behrens
GRADUATION NIGHT AT THE BULL, HIGH BARNET, LONDON
THE London Evening Standard invited punters to see a "crucifixion" at the graduates' performance night that marked the end of The Bull's comedy course - and they turned up in their droves.
First on was Ava, who quickly won over the baying hounds in the audience. Next was Shappi Khorsandi whose superb set about her Middle Eastern background had the crowd in stitches.
After the interval came deadpan Joe Wilson whose gags both shocked and amused. Another newcomer, Donald Hunter, put in a major effort and won some laughs, but struggled to remember his gags on stage. And American headliner Daisy Gardner was superb. No nails or cross had been needed after all.
STAR RATING (out of five): *****
-- John Behrens
JOHNNY VEGAS, The Talk of London, London
THE master of the metaphor was on superlative form with a show that takes the pee out of pathos - and puts the potty back into pottery.
Vegas's power over the audience is extraordinary, but he does not abuse it. Even hecklers are left with a warm glow and a one-minute tea pot for keeps.
STAR RATING (out of five): *****
John Behrens.
MARK THOMAS, THE BUCCANEERS COMEDY CLUB, THE HOPE, LONDON W1
THE amazing Mark Thomas performing in a pub's upstairs room little bigger than a broom cupboard. It hardly seems credible - but it happened at the Second Anniversary bash of the Buccaneers Comedy club.
Headliner Mark is the ultimate pro - with a gift for judging his audience, a wonderful sense of movement, and brilliant subversive material.
His drugs material may owe something to the late, great American comic Bill Hicks, but there is no doubting Thomas's political knowledge or commitment - he blows the likes of Ben Elton away in that department. And the intelligence behind his jokes is remarkable for a stand-up working at any level.
All the same, an extraordinarily drunk woman in the audience continually interrupted Mark Thomas when he was progressing onto his most challenging material. A shame, but with a name like Buccaneers, you could hardly refuse the crew their ration of rum.
STAR RATING (out of five): ****
John Behrens.
AL MURRAY - THE PUB LANDLORD, Comedy Cafe, London
IF there was any doubt that Al Murray is the king of the character act, this evening dispelled it.
He performed an electrifying set as The Pub Landlord, a character he has successfully taken way beyond what you would have thought possible.
In a wide-ranging set, Murray even got into mathematics: Cockneys + Place = Fight.
Therefore, Fight - Cockneys = Place, or Fight - Place = Cockneys. And Fight/Cockneys = ...er... Anyway, just go to see him!
STAR RATING (out of five): *****
Peter Guest
HERSTERICS, Islington, North London
BRUMMIE lass Jo Enright worked her Birmingham background beautifully with some sharp material about growing up in one of England's less-admired cities.
And she also played up her lack of height in a most pleasant performance at this club for female stand-ups.
At the other end of the class spectrum, tall and posh former model Lucy Bayler was superb poking fun at her life with the smart set.
STAR RATING: ****
Juliet Loblich
Hitchcock's Half Hour, Joe's Comedy Madhouse, London N16.
CREATIVE double-act Hitchcock's Half Hour performed a highly-inventive set to the evident delight of the Madhouse audience.
Coupling razor-sharp impressions with character acting and surreal stand-up, Neil and Tom really put Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer to shame.
Kate Tym also stormed the show with a blue set which left little to the imagination.
After that, who would have thought a comic could have lowered the tone of the evening? Jimbo managed it, proving the line between comic genius and total insanity is indeed a thin one.
Four others comedians, Meryl O'Rourke, Dave Holland, Conor Moloney and Dave Webb, also entertained with verve, rounding off a good evening.
STAR RATING (out of five): ****
John Behrens
GINA RYAN, Hersterics, Tut and Shive, Islington, London.
RYAN is a large woman carrying a heap of emotional baggage - some of it funny, much of it just sad.
She won laughs easily from the predominantly gay female audience at this club which puts on only women acts. But her talk of anti-depressants and her loveless marriage coated her performance in pathos, and was all too believable.
Moreover, perhaps, the Essex girl jokes are a too little dated for 1997. Ryan should use her talent to tackle more original material - and try to leave the cliches behind.
Catherine Tate, who on before Ryan, was hardly polished, but had some passable gags about being a red head. She, however, is a hell of a long way to go before she really starts to make waves in the comedy world.
STAR RATING (out of five): ***
John Behrens
TERRY TITTERS'S FULL LENGTH, New End Theatre, Hampstead, London
CHARACTER actor Terry Kilkelly's attempt at a parody of a washed-up, alcoholic club comedian - and his equally-sleazy sister and gay brother - was neither remarkably funny nor well observed.
It is doubtful whether telling a load of worn-out old jokes as part of a feeble send-up is any better than doing it sincerely. Unless you're really desperate, steer well clear.
STAR RATING (out of five): **
John Behrens
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