Some magic moments.-Sorry we failed to snap everyone.
Everyone must have been partied out after the Easter weekend because it was far from packed at this week's Long Live Comedy. For a while it looked as if the performers might be playing to each other, but a handful of people at the last minute saved us. We decided to think of it as a gig-come-workshop. As Sarah Millican asked, the gig is fine, when does the cum workshop start?
Al opened as compere, a bit late because we were waiting for an audience to show up! Returning from Ireland and Amsterdam he did plenty of 'aren't accents funny' material. Probably best done when there are no Irish people in the audience (Hello Donnacha) - but Al did point out that it was the Irish adverts which had the most over-the-top accents- he didn't meet any real Irish with phone numbers such as; 0800 tree tree tree oh tree tree tree.
Chris Cross opened, and brought some support as well! He's another comedy magician, cut from the same cloth as last week's Flash. He has some good tricks and jokes, and will no doubt get a little slicker with a bit more experience behind him.
Next up we had Donnachda back again after he did so well last time. He's preparing for the Final of the Chortle Comedy Awards, so was happy to come back and try some new material. If you missed him, more fool you. This boy is good.
Pete took the next section, but we were already running out of time, so he cracked on without doing his planned material. Though he did give a taster of the postponed material by pointing out that he'd brought a cowboy hat and playing an alternative intro jingle based on 'dueling banjos' from 'Deliverance.' So come back next time to see what thats all about. Pete introduced our first visitors from far afield - Manchester - and bless 'em thats a long way to come to perform for 12 people.
Ian Fox previewed part of his 'butterfly effect' show that he is taking to Edinburgh this year. This will involve stories of how one tiny event can lead to huge repercussions. This story started with a monkey called dave and ended - somehow - with a huge plane crash, via post orgasmic narcolepsy and poo flinging. Good stuff, lots of monkeys - who all call themselves Dave in private.
Next was Swab. A noun/verb you wouldn't expect to see as a name. He was a second magical comedy act, and mercy, it was something else and had the focus more on the comedy. He illustrated a mathematical series in party poppers - 1, 6, 36.. it goes up at an alarming rate And performed a rabbit from the hat with a very reluctant rabbit, a gun and lots of fake blood.
Callum had found a strange rant from the west end to tell us all. Surreal but funny, and served to compere the final section.
Sarah Millican treated us to a load of new material. Some remarkable sexually agressive stuff that really had people laughing, not sure it would work in a WI seminar between cake decorating and Blair baiting, but it was one of the night's highlights.
Finally Al returned and talked about the toilet. Some good old lavatorial humour to finish off a quiet but enjoyable night.
The competition was the Butcher's songbook - songs that a butcher would enjoy e.g. liver and let pie, Give beef a chance etc. Winner got a bottle of hock, and a pile of Ferrero Rocher. Da da-da-da da-da da-da-da-daaa.... We were really spoiling you.
