Brett Goldstein/ Ed Bainbridge/ Nick Pettigrew/ Ea
03 February 2008
Four comics tonight, plus Geoff compering, which made the show even more packed than usual. Brett Goldstein started the night. His experience as a romantic fiction writer led him down some interesting paths, as he discussed feminism, spending Valentine's Day with Germaine Greer, dating prostitutes, and his own idea for a book called The Nonce.
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.
Matthew Alford