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Bruce Dessau's rating
Talent trampled by talk
By
Bruce Dessau
2 Apr 2008
The trouble with comedy in clubs rather than theatres is that sometimes the gig gets in the way of a good natter. This promising show last night was a prime example, hampered by a boisterous young crowd resembling extras from Skins who were more interested in each other than the strong bill.
While increasingly impressive compere Jack Whitehall fed off an audience that shared his hip, youthful exuberance, the four acts have all had better nights.
Dan Clark is on a roll at the moment, but neither his indie-kid cardigan nor his sharpest gags about our alienated, technology-obsessed world won them over.
Matthew Osborn fared a little better with a short, snappy set. A few years ago, this Nick Heyward lookalike was tipped for the top. Unfortunately, the vacancy for a telly-devouring middle-class jokesmith was filled by Jimmy
Carr. Osborn needs a spot of reinvention to avoid comparisons.
It was secret guest Simon Amstell who bore the brunt of punter indifference. Having started well by cattily demolishing the recent alleged link between panel shows and bullying, he rapidly lost the audience's attention. Frustrated at every turn, this was an agonisingly painful death, though hardly the gifted star's fault.
Andrew Maxwell fought back by grabbing the gig by the scruff, yet even his rock-solid routines about sex, drugs and leprechauns were only intermittently successful. Conclusive proof that even great comics have off-nights.
Two stars, but it was the customers, not the acts, who scuppered the rating.
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
Reader views (2)
I was there to see Maxwell, and knew from the off that we were in for a rough night. Whitehall had the least backing noise to contend with, though the crowd was noisy from the very start. None of the acts got the attention that they deserved. Admittedly, Amstell shot himself in the foot by assuming that he could get away with his 'I'm on telly' status, but even he was not given a moment of quiet at the beginning of the set to get himself sorted.
Andrew used as much material that involved audience participation as possible, but there was next to no response to any of it. Perhaps being 'let down' by the 'star' Amstell had caused some people to give up on the night, but the inattention to comedy that the audience had paid to see was ridiculous.
Overall, I enjoyed all of the sets, but the discomfort of the comics at having to compete with such a rowdy crowd in turn marred my viewing, not to mention my own personal annoyance at having to try to block out the conversations taking place all around me.
- Marie-Louise Knight, London, UK, 22/04/2008 19:02
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Bruce: interesting analysis - but I don't agree.
To blame the clientèle for the failings of the evening is ultimately unfair. These guys are professionals and should be able to cope with a bunch of trendy 20 somethings without much hassle. True, by the time Maxwell came on the audience had largely descended into private conversations: though not to the extent his performance was impaired.
Amstell "bore the brunt of punter indifference" for good reason, and it was all the "gifted star's fault". A slurred word in his first sentence got the audience's attention more than the following punch-line, and from there it descended into an embarrassing, seat squirming set because of his arrogant approach to the gig. Contrary to your assertion, his opening material was not a good start, but merely laid the foundations for the impression I was left with that this egotistical comic thought himself too famous to necessitate putting the effort in. On the few occasions he did get down to it he got some laughs, only to be spoiled by him reverting back to ad hoc 'banter'. If he had come on stage, sober, gone through his material in a professional manner as the other comics did then I'm sure he would have been a big success. As it was, his nonchalant, inebriated performance impressed no one.
- Dwane Chambers, London, UK, 02/04/2008 18:51
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