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ventaWell, it was something of a last-minute plan, but it worked.
The Good Ship, in Kilburn, is a pretty weird-shaped venue. I've seen bands there before, crowding two-deep up to the railings to peer down into the odd little box-pit the stage is in.
Fortunately, Monday night's comedy club headliner (Henning Wehn) had been replaced on quite short notice by Mitch Benn, and no one seemed to know... meaning there were even actual seats left in the odd little box-pit when we rolled up. And decent draught bitter. Wow.
I find my ability to enjoy comedy varies massively depending on whether or not I think the stand-up is in control. Never mind whether I think they're funny; do they have that barely-holding-on, might-get-bottled-any-moment feeling. I hasten to add that I never have seen a comedian bottled, though I have seen some die horribly (if not literally) on stage.
Once I've decided that whoever's on stage is properly in charge, I can relax and get on with worrying about whether or not they're funny.
On Monday, both the compere (Rosie Wilby) and the first act (Joe Bor) failed quite to convince me that I could settle down and put my feet up. They weren't bad at all, and both made me laugh, but I still had that queasy "is this going to be a disaster?" feeling.
An unexpected extra guest turned up - magician Pete Firman "trying out" ten minutes of new material. I like a nice bit of close magic and - although his main trick was the sort of thing which left me cold - his ten minutes were entertaining and he did do one throw-away trick which was either supremely lucky or blindingly good (the jury remains out).
Sam Savage came on and waffled gently and observationally for her slot. I felt she was properly in charge of the situation, and I could get on with the serious business of laughing. Sadly, I think she falls into the generic support maerial category - she gave quality entertainment, but nothing outstanding that makes me feel I want to seek her out again specifically (though I'd be quite happy to see her if she was on the bill).
Then a giant landed on the stage and said "hello, I'm a giant". And yes, Darren Walsh really is quite tall. And, if his comedy is anything to go by, he's the bastard child of Simon Munnery and Milton Jones. Definitely someone who tells groanworthy, punning jokes in such quantities that you can't help but laugh at them. Also, I wouldn't expect a man miming along (with perfect timing) to the sound effects of him having a fight with a horse to be hilarious, but there you go.
And, of course, Mitch Benn (whom I barely recognise now he's cut all his hair off and doesn't look like![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
d_floorlandmine any more). Mr Benn (according to himself) does "sort of topical songs and night-time gynaecology". I think the latter was a one off, as he'd just been observing things about the shape of the wall lights. And so he blathered, and sang some songs, and blathered a bit more, and was all-round terrific. Topics for the topical songs included his entry for Eurovision, celebrities adopting babies from Africa, and what should be done with the inflatable Stonehenge left over from the Olympic opening ceremony.
He also does a mean Dalek impression; though some miserable sod is probably going to tell me that that's an effect pedal.
And you get all that at the Good Ship for a fiver. Not bad, really. If you go along, make sure you get to Kilburn early enough to have dinner at Small&Beautiful first.
The Good Ship, in Kilburn, is a pretty weird-shaped venue. I've seen bands there before, crowding two-deep up to the railings to peer down into the odd little box-pit the stage is in.
Fortunately, Monday night's comedy club headliner (Henning Wehn) had been replaced on quite short notice by Mitch Benn, and no one seemed to know... meaning there were even actual seats left in the odd little box-pit when we rolled up. And decent draught bitter. Wow.
I find my ability to enjoy comedy varies massively depending on whether or not I think the stand-up is in control. Never mind whether I think they're funny; do they have that barely-holding-on, might-get-bottled-any-moment feeling. I hasten to add that I never have seen a comedian bottled, though I have seen some die horribly (if not literally) on stage.
Once I've decided that whoever's on stage is properly in charge, I can relax and get on with worrying about whether or not they're funny.
On Monday, both the compere (Rosie Wilby) and the first act (Joe Bor) failed quite to convince me that I could settle down and put my feet up. They weren't bad at all, and both made me laugh, but I still had that queasy "is this going to be a disaster?" feeling.
An unexpected extra guest turned up - magician Pete Firman "trying out" ten minutes of new material. I like a nice bit of close magic and - although his main trick was the sort of thing which left me cold - his ten minutes were entertaining and he did do one throw-away trick which was either supremely lucky or blindingly good (the jury remains out).
Sam Savage came on and waffled gently and observationally for her slot. I felt she was properly in charge of the situation, and I could get on with the serious business of laughing. Sadly, I think she falls into the generic support maerial category - she gave quality entertainment, but nothing outstanding that makes me feel I want to seek her out again specifically (though I'd be quite happy to see her if she was on the bill).
Then a giant landed on the stage and said "hello, I'm a giant". And yes, Darren Walsh really is quite tall. And, if his comedy is anything to go by, he's the bastard child of Simon Munnery and Milton Jones. Definitely someone who tells groanworthy, punning jokes in such quantities that you can't help but laugh at them. Also, I wouldn't expect a man miming along (with perfect timing) to the sound effects of him having a fight with a horse to be hilarious, but there you go.
And, of course, Mitch Benn (whom I barely recognise now he's cut all his hair off and doesn't look like
d_floorlandmine any more). Mr Benn (according to himself) does "sort of topical songs and night-time gynaecology". I think the latter was a one off, as he'd just been observing things about the shape of the wall lights. And so he blathered, and sang some songs, and blathered a bit more, and was all-round terrific. Topics for the topical songs included his entry for Eurovision, celebrities adopting babies from Africa, and what should be done with the inflatable Stonehenge left over from the Olympic opening ceremony. He also does a mean Dalek impression; though some miserable sod is probably going to tell me that that's an effect pedal.
And you get all that at the Good Ship for a fiver. Not bad, really. If you go along, make sure you get to Kilburn early enough to have dinner at Small&Beautiful first.
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no subject
Date: 2013-01-09 09:57 am (UTC)Want moar details!
no subject
Date: 2013-01-09 10:10 am (UTC)Now, either that's really quite clever, or on average it works about 1/52 times :) (Probably more frequently than that, actually, as more people will say Jack of Spades (as this guy did) than will say 7 of Diamonds. But even so).
no subject
Date: 2013-01-09 10:14 am (UTC)I suppose the person in the audience could have been an accomplice...
no subject
Date: 2013-01-09 10:16 am (UTC)I'm trying to remember whether it actually was flip, catch, call or whether there might have been very slightly more wiggle room of the call being slightly earlier. (Even if it was call, flip, catch it's still impressive, just slightly less so.)
Will ask ChrisC, he'll remember :)
no subject
Date: 2013-01-09 10:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-01-09 10:27 am (UTC)Because the actual flipping was quite dexterous (and it was in a comedy club), I think it'd have worked as a bit of entertainment if they guy had named a card, and he'd revealed a different one and said "no". That was pretty much what I was expecting.
If it's what the magician was expecting, he carried it off very well :)
no subject
Date: 2013-01-09 10:35 am (UTC)He concurs it was flip-catch-call.