Best of British

By JamesĀ ShackellĀ Best of British pic

I’ve always believed that British humour isnā€™t like regular humour. Itā€™s subtler, more ironic and soaked with a self-aware melancholy that you only get when your country has lost its imperial stranglehold and now hangs its jaunty cap on statistics like diabetes per capita and casual violence. And yeah, the accent helps too. If you took two equally talented comedians, both with perfect timing and well-honed craft, the one who pronounces ā€˜sconeā€™ as ā€˜scowneā€™ will always be inherently funnier. Thatā€™s just science.

So I was pretty excited about Best of British, the Festivalā€™s UK-themed ā€˜lucky dipā€™, where you pay $20, reach your hand in, and pull out either a delicious pork pie or (if youā€™re unlucky) a metaphorical black pudding. Either way, youā€™re in for a good Tuesday night, and this yearā€™s line-up is definitely one of the strongest Iā€™ve seen. Four acts, and there wasnā€™t a dud among them.

Kai Humphries
A young comedian with a Newcastle brogue so thick you might struggle to catch the faster material. Luckily I came prepared with three seasons of Geordie Shore under my belt. Humphries has a gangly, ginger energy on stage, riffing on pretty standard stuff like the big spoon/little spoon debate, dating a girl much hotter than him and a few well-timed observations about Australians and jaywalking against the lights (ā€œThereā€™s nae cars for miles and miles, and youā€™re all like, ā€˜Hold!ā€™ Hold!ā€™ Not yet!ā€) Itā€™s not material thatā€™s going to set the world on fire, but it warmed the crowd up a treat, which is all you can ask from your first act. Three stars.

Markus Birdman
Damn I love discovering comedians like Markus Birdman, a slick, weasel-faced Pom who seemed to be three beers south of sober by the beginning of the set. The audience was on-board after the first Holocaust gag, which drew a few risquĆ© ā€˜Ooohsā€™ from the crowd: ā€œOh, sorry, have I misjudged those Nazis? Too soon is it?ā€ Bergman shot back with an eyebrow raised. His style is belligerent drunk meets middle-aged shaman, and thereā€™s some smart material in here on fatherhood, growing old and the dangers of teaching our kids to believe in dreams. I saw enough to Google his solo show, Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea. Five Stars.

Rory Lowe
Rory Lowe looks like heā€™s going to be a nob (objective journalism is overrated). Heā€™s a dreadlocked, UK-born, Aussie-raised twenty-something with the vacant stare of the serial puff addict. A Rastafarian Bradley Cooper. But damn is he funny. Iā€™m happy to say he won me over big time, despite my usual hesitation over comedians who get 60% of their laughs from delivery alone (i.e. shouting stuff). Thereā€™s some clever word play around wine and erectile dysfunction and plenty of observations on the cross-cultural differences between the UK the Oz. Heā€™s got a schtick, and he works it well. A solid four stars.

Andrew Stanley
Jesus, if the idea of audience participation freaks you out, do not sit within three rows of Andrew Stanley. Itā€™s not a criticism to say he has no material: he pulled 15 minutes of comedy out of the air, bouncing around the front row of the crowd and ripping into them like an Irish pit-bull. I would not heckle this guy if you paid me $5000. Heā€™s too quick, too cutting. Stanley is a familiar face back home, running The Comedy Cellar in Ireland and hosting the RTE 2 show I Dare Ya. His stand-up is 100% sweaty, manic energy, but heā€™s clearly a total pro. Not many comedians would have the guts to base a set on nothing but swagger and wits. If thatā€™s your thing, down a quick pint, strap yourself in and go nuts. Youā€™ll have a wonderful time. Four stars.

Best of British is on at The Exford Hotel until April 23

https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2017/shows/best-of-british

Best of British

By Luke SimmonsĀ Dan Willis Brit

With the purpose of this show being to provide a sampler for all these Brit performersā€™ full length shows, it was a nice try before-you-buy session with them all putting on great mini shows.

Dan Willis (A Whinging Poms Guide) was the MC for the night and played his role well warming up the crowd with a solid five minute set mixing in banter with the crowd while setting down the ground rules for being in his audience. Youā€™d have to see him to hear why heā€™s one comic who doesnā€™t mind usage of mobile phones during his show.

He then invited Gordon Southern (Long Story Short) onto the stage as the first comic who delivered the first of the 15 minute sets. Energetic onstage, he likes to use his sampler to weave in random sound effects and clever rap snippets to get laughs. It can be risky running with material on the fly, but he nailed it (most times) gaining laughs from the crowd. The sampling element represents just a component of his act and heā€™s got a cheeky persona connecting well with the crowd.

Georgie Carroll (Nurse Case Scenario) was next on stage and it was clear from the get go that sheā€™s razor sharp Brit who would smack down anyone if she ever got in a verbal stoush on the street. Carroll recently moved to Australia from Rochdale (north of Manchester) and is currently working as a nurse which turn out to be the key areas covered during her hour long show. She provided a few samples during the show and had the crowd in tears when she shared some stories about her dealings with bogan druggies. So if youā€™d like to hear them have the piss drained out of them, check her out.

Raymond Mearns (Rock n Roll Comedian: The Therapy Sessions) is a strapping Scottish comedian who sauntered onto the stage and slipped into his dry humour which is generously laced with self-deprecation. Delivering with a thick Scot accent, heā€™s a veteran of the circuit in the UK and clearly knows what heā€™s doing when heā€™s on the mic. Having worked on a cruise ship as a comedian which stopped by Croatia, heā€™ll no doubt bring up stories from that trip which would be worth the ticket price to his one-long show.

Markus Birdman (Grim Realities) then rounded off the set and immediately won over the audience over with his stage presence. He is a smooth talker and doesnā€™t mind using a bit of movement on the stage to compliment his gags. He wove in stories about being a single 40 something guy and used changes in tone and pace to great effect. Heā€™s a polished comic and rounded off the night well and left a great impression with everyone in the room.

Best of British is on atĀ the Exford Hotel until April 19

http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2015/season/shows/best-of-british