Sean Percival / Jim Smallman / Gareth Richards / I
19 November 2006
Comedy Cavern keeps living up to its reputation. I think I speak for the crowd when I say I really enjoyed all of the acts this evening.
Geoff Whiting kicked us off as usual, introducing Isy Suttie. I was particularly interested in seeing Suttie’s act after hearing good things around the circuit and she did not disappoint. Suttie discussed Englishness, fairies with Parkinson’s, her insane mother’s letters, and she also encouraged us gleefully to participate in a game of her own invention – “pig sex”. To punctuate her set, she sings her own songs making reference to the likes of Dido, Avril, and Alanis. Suttie has a very easy-going, naturally engaging and funny stage persona which appealed well to men and women in the audience in equal measure. Not one but two open spots tonight. And a couple of promising acts they are too! Gareth Richards delivered a fast but controlled ream of gags and puns, most of which were excellent. After this initial barrage he discussed his old job at McDonald’s, leading onto a brilliant story involving clowns, a woman who was terrified of clowns, and beating up Ronald McDonald. Jim Smallman gave a punkish performance with similarly cracking gags about threesomes, suicide, and The Pussycat Dolls (“For older members of the audience they’re like The Nolans… but slags”). I’d like to see both these guys doing longer sets – it would be interesting to see how their already inventive material and styles develop. Sean Percival closed this evening’s proceedings with a crowd pleasing performance that seemed simultaneously true to himself. Some good stuff on hand transplants, oral sex in a car (“don’t drink and dive”), manufactured pop bands, working class vampires, and the standard references to drugs and bonking that the crowd probably required after a few too many shandies at the end of the evening. What’s the Difference Competition: What’s the difference between Tom Cruise and a radiator? - About an inch and a half - One needs to be bled every month, the other needs to be bled to death.
Matthew Alford