"Wishy Washy Liberals" A night at Old Rope 25th July 2011

I've been on hiatus, my apologies. I was always planning to come back though I wasn't sure what with. You see EVERYBODY is going to Edinburgh without me this year. A combination of bad planning and poverty meant 2011's Edinburgh Fringe wasn't going to be my first *violin* but there are still previews to be seen and I will do some Camden Fringe 2011 reviews whilst everyone else is in Edinburgh.

This isn't really a review. For those unfamiliar with Old Rope I'll give a brief overview and then explain why I'm not reviewing it. Old Rope is held every Monday (except Edinburghs and major winter holidays) at The Phoenix, Cavendish Square. Old Rope does well for a number of reasons; it is cheap, it is central and all the acts are established, if not household name, comics. Why is it so cheap, I hear you cry (okay...just pretend) well it is a new material night. This isn't as hideous as it sounds but in other ways is and thus I wouldn't feel right reviewing new material, some of which doesn't work and will never be used again. Plus @jaykayell_ said that would be cruel and I know in my heart he's right.

A night at Old Rope

 There were nine acts on tonight and it was a mixed bunch; Sarah Kendall and Tiffany Stevenson did the stand up equivalent of what I hate in sketches: good ideas that go nowhere, but no bother this is new material and they will smooth it out/throw it in the bin.Tony Law was also on. I love Tony Law. I think I might want his children or at least to see him do a whole hour. He's kind of shouty but is brilliant with accents, even though his own voice is so great he doesn't need to do accents. Richard Herring headlined. I used to adore him and Lee together during Fist of Fun and TMWRNJ but to be honest I mainly watched because I fancied Lee. Herring's solo show this year seems like I something I would see the whole hour of but I'm still not sure I like him. Personalities come into play a lot more in stand up than it does in sketch. To be honest the other acts didn't really stand out though I was pleasantly surprised by Dave Gorman.

Sarah Kendall

None of that really relates to the point of my blog post title. I'll explain now. One comedian, who I had never heard of before but was established in Australia faced a particular hostile crowd. Poor Jacques Barrett. Actually not "Poor Jacques Barrett" the impression I got from our compere, James Dowdswell, was that Barrett had come all the way from Down Under to find his comedy pot of gold on the London and Edinburgh comedy scene. I've never seen an experienced performer misjudge a group. His material *SPOILERS* basically consisted of being bummed by big scary men. Barrett has issues and the audience responded with the contempt the material deserved. My sympathy lies in the crestfallen look Barrett had until he left, a man on the verge of tears at how badly it had gone.

Jacques Barrett

I think the London comedy scene is a rather tolerant bunch, we will politely clap and everything but the moment we sense there may be some unsavoury intolerance we switch off; we officially hate you. Are all jokes that may seem homophobic, racist, sexist, transphobic all bad? Personally I don't think so. I should you be able to joke about ANYTHING. Why? Because people will never be happy, so do what you like. You can do those kind of jokes but there has to be the right intention, the right motive, the sense that if anybody said that seriously you'd find it as disgusting as the rest of us would.

Comedians' material play on their insecurities, I believe. They also play on other people's fears; if those fears and insecurities don't meet up with the audiences' (Barrett worries about being done up the arse by big scary Aussie blokes, I worry if I can get away with eyeliner...) then you've lost them and don't even bother to try and make a joke out of it. We hate you now, go away.

The Three Englishmen: Optimists (Edinburgh Preview) 18th July 2011

Who are they? The Three Englishmen are Ben Cottam, Nick Hall, Jack Hartnell and Tom Hensby
Where did you see it? Canal Cafe Theatre, Little Venice

I have to admit I have actually seen The Three Englishmen before, I know get those jaws off the floor as it becomes apparent I do go to comedy, honest. I first saw them at the much missed SketchUp night in Shoreditch's Bar Kick. I say much missed because I went to two before they closed it down and never restarted again (I have a similar effect with jobs, work somewhere, it shuts within the year). I say I saw them; I saw two of them. My attempts at seeing The Three Englishmen as a foursome were failures for a while until last summer when I saw their well received debut Edinburgh show.

I'm not going to mince my words here; I'd be amazed if Optimists is as well received as last year's show. It feels very samey, like a difficult second album. Sketches that were successful first time round seem to be changed slightly for this show, but not as funny and they committed the crime that all the sketch acts I've been seeing do; no punchline for sketches that have good ideas or sketches that make no sense. So many sketches start off strongly, like a sketch involving a father telling his son about his university days, then just end with perplexed, nervous laughter and polite clapping from an audience that doesn't get what went so wrong.

The Three Englishmen L-R Jack Hartnell, Nick Hall,
Tom Hensby and Ben Cottam

I will admit that I had seen some of their finest sketches before at new material nights and that perhaps spoiled my enjoyment; I assume most of their Edinburgh audience won't be weird fan girls like me so will approach it with fresh eyes. That isn't to say there aren't good sketches but that momentum of a strong sketch, such as the elderly donkey keeping man whose past time infuriates his neighbours, blind chemist or Lady Gaga at school, is then ruined by a weak filler or sketches don't know when to JUST END.

To be honest much of the Three Englishmen's sketches are saved by the performances, with Cottam standing out this year. Hensby and Hall seem quickest on their feet,  perhaps more aware of their weaker sketches or general preview teething problems so keen to improvise where they can. Which looks like I'm being incredibly cruel to Hartnell; I don't mean to be as he's the backbone of the musical numbers that are spread through the show (They were Musical Comedy Awards 2011 runner up) and whilst I have voiced my displeasure when it comes to musical comedy I can't fault their harmonies and most of their comedy intentions; some fail to hit the mark (why are so many sketch acts doing 'mash ups' of popular songs in a comedy fashion now?) but others like their Jack the Ripper song would only work in a musical fashion.

I'm desperately hoping the show just needs a bit of tweaking, that all will be well when they come back in September but producing similar sketches from previous years won't win them favours with the critics. It hasn't with this one anyway.

Humphrey Ker is Dymock Watson: NAZI SMASHER (Edinburgh Preview) 14th July 2011

Who is he? Humphrey Ker, the tall one in The Penny Dreafuls embarking on his first solo show
Where did you see it? The Pleasance, Islington (again-as I said very cheap tickets...)

As I said this is Ker's first solo show after being in The Penny Dreadfuls forever. I'll be honest, I've never seen the Penny Dreadfuls live and slightly anxious that if all their shows do well. David Reed and Thom Tuck are also doing solo shows, which I will try and see at some point.

"WHO IS DYMOCK WATSON?" I hear you scream, maybe you didn't scream that but I will answer anyway. Dymock Watson is Ker's maternal grandfather, who was quite senior in the Second World War. Whilst doing some digging Ker finds out that his grandfather was part of an elite group and as he isn't able to get hold of his grandfather's files at the National Archives until 2031 this is Ker's fictional account of what his grandfather got up to. Though I should add where I work (Not the National Archives, twitter me if you care) does have some of Watson's files and I haven't had time to look at them yet.

Humphrey Ker as Dymock Watson

This show is pretty exhausting for the audience, at least I found it so. Ker's height had me on edge and I was convinced he was going to bang his head on the low wooden beam (He's 6ft 7) let alone how Ker must feel after the hour. He plays not only Dymock, one of only 7 Romanian speakers in the UK and the only one who hasn't been killed but many other characters such as Scottish inspector, who leads him to his mission, the American love interest Joanie, the Geordie elite trainer and Rex Hammer, who sounded a lot like Matt Berry. I'm conscious of spoilers but I will say there are some great lines about "pointy breasts" and a strangely realistic 'if dogs could talk' impression.

That is Ker's strength. He is very good at accents, the story is easy to follow and this show showcases him as a talented comedy performer (it is demanding show and I hope he is taking a holiday in September) and the show, understandably wasn't ready yet, I'll admit I'm more forgiving of Works in Progress when there is only one of you, for which Ker was incredibly apologetic; lines were forgotten, there were wardrobe malfunctions and he hadn't got hold of sound effects but it is has potential and is a fun hour. I would be surprised if  doesn't get more attention and television work after this, he deserves better than Fast and Loose anyway.

The Beta Males- The Train Job (Edinburgh Preview) 5th July 2011

FINALLY I present to you a review. I took my time, sorry.
Who are they? The Beta Males are; John Henry Falle, Jon Gracey, Guy Kelly and Richard Soames
Where did you see it? The Miller, in London Bridge


The Beta Males (Formerly The Beta Males Picnic) will be returning to Edinburgh in 2011 with The Train Job after the success of their 2010 show The Bunker. I didn't see The Bunker, unfortunately so I cannot compare this show to that but The Train Job felt equally as claustrophobic as a bunker as the show is set, as the title would suggest, on a train going from London (I think...) to Edinburgh.

L-R Guy Kelly, Richard Soames, John-Henry Falle and Jon Gracey

I was keen to see this show as I had heard and seen good things from the Beta Males, with their matching ties and waistcoat (a snazzy purple and grey combination at the Miller, fashion fans) their style reminds me very much of what it would have been like to see The League of Gentlemen's early shows. TLoG wore black tie in their live shows and continued it for the first half of their national tour. The train is, I suppose, their Royston Vasey (or Spent, "it was better on the radio" fans) with the sketches taking place during this journey across the train carriages.

I don't want to spoil it too much so I will keep it basic. We (the audience) are passengers on the Olympus with its brash American CEO reassuring this that the train cannot possibly sink, we then join an array of characters including the tea boy (or is it tea lady?), the safety inspector, trainspotters, a gorilla and Stephen Byers MP, amongst others.

This is a preview and that was obvious; lines were forgotten and giggles were had but personally I quite like this in a show because you can pick up any tensions between the performers and it is obvious they take any mistakes in their stride and any teasing from their fellow Beta Male with the jest that is intended. My only concern is that it might not stand out against other sketch shows that don't have such a rigid connection that the Beta Males have with the train. The train and live setting means that it is hard to adjust when a sketch takes part outside of the train, which happens rarely in this show.

I hate reviews that concentrate on particular performers so I won't do that. All four put in strong, memorable performances during the hour whether that be Falle's Brief Encounter-esque female character or his gorilla, Gracey's Stephen Byers, Kelly's orgasmic safety inspector and Soames' tea boy (or is it lady?)

If in Edinburgh or in London before and after Edinburgh do catch this show; it is a lot of fun.