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An awesome and ridiculous film that leaves you thrilled beyond the point of your natural endurance
2012
Theatre
The show has suddenly become quite wonderful, and the galvanising factor is the terrific stage debut of Melanie C
Blood Brothers
Music
The British pop music industry may be eating itself but if Muse are the pick of what it can offer the world in 2010 then British music is in rude health indeed
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I was smitten by both Gilberts enormous luxuriant moustache and the intelligence and nuance of this highly entertaining play
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Always been a fan but never seen them live. I was ecstatic to be part of this epic event. WOW!
London,
Bruce Dessau's rating
Reader rating
Description: Character comedy from the stand-up as the opinionated Pub Landlord.
Trains: Tube: North Greenwich, BR: Westcombe Park Railway Station 
Phone: 0871 984 0002
According to recent reports, nearly 40 pubs are closing every week. Maybe saloon regulars are spending their beer money on character comedian Al Murray’s Pub Landlord instead.
The larger-than-life bar steward played to 30,000 fans over the weekend and by the end of his UK tour will have entertained a quarter of a million laugh-thirsty punters.
On Saturday, Murray certainly delivered. Strutting onto a stage surrounded by grand columns shaped like beer pumps, he was soon in his bullet-headed, bantering element.
The front-row squaddie got a patriotic salute, another man was dubbed Shrek and women were told they should be nurses or secretaries. Anyone connected to financial services was blamed for the entire credit crunch.
No comedian is ever going to be as effective at the O2 as they would be in a theatre but Murray had a jolly good bash, working the entire stage, wading into the crowd and getting the sold-out audience to sing as one.
There was, however, a sense of playing things more broadly than usual. Sharper satirical edges were smoothed over in favour of pure rabble rousing. Ultimately, it was sheer force of personality rather than depth of material that made this event work.
Under scrutiny, the best rants boiled down to celebrating the power of alcohol, proving that God must exist because bacon is wonderful and warning us that the 2012 Olympics will be rubbish.
Video screens helped to remind those in the cheap seats that Murray is a superb physical comedian. In one wonderfully observed skit, he mimed coming in drunk and climbing the toilet bowl as if it was the North Face of the Eiger.
Maybe, though, this is the Landlord’s peak and he should shut up shop after the tour. A case of ale and farewell?
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
