Richard Morton
20 February 2002
Richard Morton Football games that are scheduled in the morning inevitably mean that vast quantities of alcohol are consumed early in the day, and one side effect of this is that evening comedy shows are awash with rowdy customers for whom an occasional “keep it down a bit” stands as much chance of success as… well, you choose the metaphor. The Comedy Cavern was packed to capacity last night for a Bath Fringe show featuring Richard Morton and Jason John Whitehead, plus an open spot from Andy Richardson. Compere Richard Batsford kicked things off with a few timely comments on the World Cup and tried to keep the noise level at a manageable level, but it was a losing battle. Still, it would probably have been a lot worse if we’d lost… or won. Jason is a gangly Canadian comedian who won the BBC New Comedy Award two years ago, and he is always a pleasure to see – and to hear, though that was only occasionally possible last night. As for Richard Morton, he is a short, energetic comedian from Newcastle whose sharp wit brought a good response, whenever it managed to rise above the din. “Comedy in the wrong hands,” he retorted to a drunken heckle, “is a very dangerous thing.” Too true. In the right hands, however, it is a joy, and Morton and Whitehead are two very fine pairs of hands.
Matthew Zuckerman