A good-natured Sunday evening crowd has gathered in the cellar tonight, buoyed by the Indian summer weather and the promise of a packed bill and a top-notch headliner. We're ably warmed up by regular compere Geoff Whiting, with the help of some topical economic banter and a few unintentionally amusing press clippings (a local drugs rehab programme needs a £30,000 cash ‘injection', reportedly. Mike Manera's laid-back charm slips down nicely, even after he commits the potentially dangerous faux pas of thinking he's in Bristol. The young Joshua Whittaker has some nicely cerebel material on the unexpected connections between world-changing news and events and chart pop music, but Demtris Deech is less impressive, failing to settle into the room and delivering a set with no real pith.

The audience's goodwill is hardly dented, though, and headliner Matt Welcome richly rewards our high expectations, giving it both barrels in a quick fire, high-octane set with enough puns and Groucho Mark-esque one liners to keep even the most jaded comedy fan recounting his material to their friends for weeks to come. He warms us up with a bit of insight into his dyslenskia ( that's dyslexia to the non-sufferers) and details on his elaborate revenge fantasies for people who commit minor annoyances such as parking in the bus lane or putting to much head on your beer. Then he launches into a beautifully constructed monologue about his ill-fated relationship with a girl named Crimpelene, positively bursting with gags that range from the clever, to the silly, to the downright groanworthy. Marvellous Stuff. (Tom Hacket)
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Open spot Ed Bainbridge came across as a really interesting comic character. He plays a very good sexual predator, which takes his material down some dark alleys (ahem). He discussed being a binge drinker, pissing, and politics in a nicely aloof and perverse tone but seemed to lose a little confidence at the end of his set, which he needn't have done because he was going so well.

The second open spot, Nick Pettigrew, presented a more affable and normal persona - at least until he revealed his chronic OCD, which once required him to request to be punched in both eyes. He then embarked on a nice spiel about a girl who had had seventeen and a half foot of cock.

And, so, to the enigmatic headliner, Earl Oakin. Oakin presents himself as an ultra-hetero sex symbol and jazz aficionado a la Chet Baker. The effect of this is so hilarious because, frankly, Oakin looks like Dr Strangelove... and is pretty camp with it. His opening number, "Come into my Room" is ridiculously sexy but it never strays into the perverse or crass, thereby avoiding one of the main potential pitfalls of comedy song. He also sings us one of the few songs in the world about a "non-beautiful woman" and neatly deals with some modern pop despite his old fashioned style. Most of the set relies on the sheer incongruity of Oakin's looks and persona but it's such a perfect pitch that you just gotta boogie on down wid dat daddio.

Caption Competition (an elephant getting onto a bus)
- Americans have difficulty with public transport
- Conductors moan about being paid peanuts
- John Merrick holds up the queue as usual
- No, I don't have the correct change you twat

Heckles
Drunk, loud Heckler: I was told to keep my voice down
Pettigrew: Well, it didn't work did it Rory.

Welshman Rhod Gilbert performed a set called "Who's Eaten Gilbert Grape", which, despite the fact that hardly anyone had seen the film that inspired it, nevertheless looks set to be an emotionally engaging success. Gilbert claims "I don't really do comedy but there aren't many misery clubs in Bath", which sets up a great framework for some quite edgy material about family breakdown (even involving audience participation, which I thought was quite brave). Gilbert is thoughtful enough to develop deep ideas and to avoid the obvious gags. He also tells fantastic stories, weaving in the Gilbert Grape theme with allusions to his cleaning habits, experiences of hotel rooms, and his private parts.

Ian Stone was a very different kettle of fish. I really liked the way he started - discussing a recent family crisis at a restaurant before launching quite seamlessly into material about the perpetual Middle East crisis (he is Jewish). The show, "Healthy Disrespect" raises related issues throughout, drawing in terrorism, gays, nuclear weapons, and Flash Gordon. He arguably overstepped the line a few times, notably with a cracking discussion on Catholicism and child abuse, which I think he should probably stick with. With such a political theme, I am always hoping I will find myself fundamentally challenged but this is always a big ask of a comic. Rather, Stone deals competently and amusingly with the topics and gets some big laughs along the way.

Overall, this was a top night for punters - £7 for two very good acts.

Heckles
Geoff: What's your name?
Man: Hawthorne.
Geoff: Hawthorne? Now that's a weird name. Can anyone beat that?
Man 2: Ed!
Geoff: Hmmm no...

Later...

Geoff: What's your name?
Man 3: Nimrod.
Geoff: Nimrod? And you didn't think to chirp up when I asked if anyone could beat the name Hawthorne? Even Ed was willing to have a go! And you're called Nimrod!

Matthew Alford