This has been an ideal month for stay comedy. The stand out was the Funhouse 20th anniversary gig, the place each act was headline high quality. The solely actual draw back to comedy in January is that it’s typically fairly horrible leaving the home to exit into the chilly, de-icing your automotive after which having to repeat the method once you go away the gig.
As at all times, acts are time barred in order that I don’t merely repeat the identical names. As a consequence, Andrew Bird and David Eagle, who could be fixtures right here, don’t function. Just guide them.
These are the acts which have impressed me probably the most:
Alan Hudson
You can’t beat a talented comedy magician for sending an evening off on a excessive and Hudson was merely superb.
From the evening:
I used to be notably trying ahead to seeing Hudson. Not only for myself, but additionally for my good friend who actually, actually, actually loves magic and I believe she’d been excited all day about this. It was nice watching her reactions to each trick. Hudson had a incredible evening and I’m actually glad that he’s now based mostly again within the North. He carried out together with his sleeves pulled up, so you may see he wasn’t making issues seem or vanish up them. The methods have been all incredible and I’ve no thought how he did any of them. The complete room was going nuts when he pulled them off. Hudson had loads of enjoyable together with his volunteers, together with Alex who had questionable abilities with cling movie and the woman whose ring he vanished – her mouth simply dropped in shock. The last trick, involving calculators was an actual showstopper. This was a champion efficiency that ended the evening on a large excessive.
Anna Thomas
This was a cracking set from an act who’s hopefully going to turn out to be a fixture on professional payments.
From the evening:
I’d heard lots of good things about Thomas, however hadn’t truly seen her carry out but, so I’d been trying ahead to this. She had a belter of a gig. She’s full of life, conversational and has a set that by no means appears to face nonetheless. There have been jokes, props, songs and a ukulele. As a consequence, she commanded the room with ease and I’d say the viewers warmed to her in about 1 second flat. Greg was pissing himself laughing watching her and that was nice to see. The materials was eclectic and this works very effectively, particularly when mixed along with her supply and adjustments of route. Thomas will not be solely a bookable act, however she’s going to make it as a professional act.
Peter Brush
A prime act, whom I used to be fortunate sufficient to see twice this month.
From the evening:
Brush is a splendid act whose cerebral type of comedy strongly appeals to me. It additionally appealed to a crowd of individuals in a social membership, which was nice. Without being bothered by the noise bleed from the drier in the bathroom, Brush gave the room an outstanding set, the logical circulation of which, was impeccable. He treats the viewers as being sensible sufficient to get his jokes they usually most definitely do. An actual spotlight involved the images. This was incredible.
Honourable mentions:
Tom Ratcliffe, Wilson,