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In an Edinburgh takeaway

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Irish improvising hip-hop trio, led by Rob Broderick, who won the 2010 Hackney Empire New Act Competition and the 2010 Musical Comedy Awards

Brighton Festival Gala 2011
Live Review
Brighton Dome

Because it’s backed by uber-agent Addison Cresswell of Off The Kerb, the gala launching the Brighton Comedy Festival offers an embarrassment of riches, with about half the line-up more than capable of filling the city’s 2,000-seater Dome on the strength of their own name alone. So it’s a guaranteed full house, ensuring that the Sussex Beacon, the HIV charity benefiting from the show, have their coffers nicely swelled.

The phrases ‘charity benefit’ and ‘hosted by Jo Brand’ go together like ‘Liam Fox’ and ‘dodgy as hell’, and she was on jolly form in the MC’s role tonight. No surprise that her contributions largely comprise jibes at her husband’s expense and the repetition of a few sexist and sizist heckles that she’s been subject to over the years – but the tongue-in-cheek undertow to her apparently morose exterior becomes more apparent the more familiar her shtick becomes. Plus the on-off nature of compering means there’s no need for variety, just a familiar face between the acts and a confident banter to move things along. Both boxes firmly ticked here.

Opening was Adam Hills, who started with a response to an American’s criticism that there were few black faces in his Australian homeland, which seemed to take a defensive stance on a parochial argument few in Brighton might care about. But this effortlessly warm comedian quickly retired to more fertile ground with his tried-and-tested crowd work, with a karaoke-like skip through the decades, followed by a cheery salute to gay icons.

Mark Watson is the ultimate low-status stand-up, keen to give off almost no obvious signal that he knows what on earth he’s doing. But although he shuns alpha-male control for self-conscious, self-deprecating blether, his circuitous routines about being a new dad give rise to plenty of hearty laughs – giving lie to the impression of incompetence his expectation-lowering modesty might project.

Andi Osho is Watson’s polar opposite, with a lot more charisma, certainty and cool in her slick delivery, although the content is a bit more hit-and-miss, thanks to an outlook that tends to play things safe on topics such as wondering when it’s OK to first fart in front of a partner, or how a tricky poo is like going into labour. That said, she often has a witty way of putting things or a deft twist of phrase to inject a little fun into the proceedings, even if she’s not going anyplace new.

A musical blast to end the first half with Rob Broderick’s improv hip-hop outfit Abandoman, here backed with a drummer and rhythm section to provide more oomph. After their signature ‘what’s in your pocket?’ piece of quick-thinking chicanery, they were joined by recent album chart-topper Ed Sheeran, who put in a decent effort, but ultimately served to prove that making up these rhymes is harder than it looks, requiring nightly practice.

Phil Nichol opened the second half. Usually for such occasions he has an established set piece, stretching his T-shirt above his head and clumping around the stage like a backwards redneck. Not tonight, though, as he instead performed a newer routine in which he got to showcase his comedy accents, as well as his manic performance skills, before topping his set with the anti-PC song You Can’t Say That To Me. Chances are he didn’t leave a huge impact on the audience on such an illustrious bill, but he certainly did his job of entertaining.

New material, too, from Jack Dee, who’s likely to be hitting the road next year for his first tour in three years. Not that Mr Sunshine has lost any of his bite, sarcasm or relevancy since he’s been away, with this experienced old hand opening his set with the edgiest line of the night, about Steve Jobs’s death. Then his sneery, stinging disdain was unleashed at old people, new parents and twitterers to name but three vast groups. But his misery is, as always, our pleasure, and the next tour should be a doozy, if this is any indication.

Dee is a tough act to follow, but Simon Evans – possibly the only comedian with even greater reserves of supercilious contempt – was equal to the task. His ‘Englishman, Welshman and Pakistani’ set-up puts a room on edge, and he manipulates that discomfort with aplomb. It’s amazing what a knowing, arrogant demeanour can do to what’s essentially a pub joke, proving it really is the way you tell ’em. A few local references from this Hove-based act added to the fun of his deliciously patronising set.

From a comic who believes he’s top of the social tree back down to one who’s rummaging in the undergrowth, with the bitterly self-deprecating Andrew Lawrence. His angsty set leant a little heavy on the ginger jokes, but the scorn for humanity spawned from his own fetid existence creates a mean, Dickensian wit, full of rich, spiteful language.

Worthy headliner was Sean Lock, with a few uniquely oblique observations with the weary acceptance of a bloke who thinks he’s seen it all. There are some insightful lines on everything from Special Brew to swearing in tabloid newspapers... but his inventive piece de resistance, depicting Madonna as a terrifying sexual predator, is the stuff of nightmares. It’s very funny, but the image may haunt you long after the gig is over.

Lock, in common with many of these gala stars, aren’t performing elsewhere in the festival while Nichol and Hills were doubling up with their own shows round the corner. So this opener serves not so much a taster of things to come, but as a star-studded advert that, hopefully, will encourage the audience to book something more adventurous before the festival leaves town on the 22nd.

• Click here for the official festival website. Andrew Lawrence, Late Night Gimp Fight, Diane Spencer, Adam Hess and Iain Stirling are taking part in a Best Of Chortle Awards night on October 20 as part of the Brighton Comedy Festival. Click here for tickets.

Well worth checking out, but effectively a very good one-man show, as the other guy's a bit of a passenger.

Mike, April 2011

I am delighted that Abandoman are now deservedly making waves and taking the comedy world by storm. Rob Broderick (Abandoman frontman) was always a cut above on the newer act circuit (most comics who started out with him, but gave up the day job before him will readily admit that). I have performed with and seen many acts, but Rob was the one act that electrified me every time I saw him. I have seen Rob walk into rooms that were dying on their feet and within minutes the crowd were punching the air. His ability to improvise is a gift of genius (Not that he doesn’t work like a demon either). He has the enviable ability to spot things in a room that other comics cannot, and instantly relate to them to hilarious effect. Don’t look for any tricks and formulated gimmicks here cos Abandoman don’t use or need them… ‘Genius’ genuinely applies. I have seen Rob perform 5 nights on the trot without repeating the same gag once; the comedy is created flawlessly, effortlessly onstage. Fronted by the sharpest, quickest and naturally gifted comic I have ever performed with, Abandoman are surely destined for big things… and it couldn’t be happening to funnier, nicer or more talented guys!

Mac, May 2010

Thanks for the feedback Steve and Earl. You can read more reviews of the night at www.musicalcomedy.co.uk/news. P.S. We are go for Fozzy Bear as next year's compere.

Ed Chappel, March 2010

As one of the other judges and, of-course, a music comedy performer myself, the first thing that I looked for was musical ability. Without that, you're really just a stand up with chords. Then, on top of that you have to be funny. The only finalist who fulfilled both of those criteria for me was Jay Foreman. The reason that the show was a little tedious was not the format itself (as Steve Bennett suggests) but that, sadly, the standard wasn't that high. Jay Foreman and the opening American girl (not competing) Pippa Evans were the only two whom I would put as fully qualified to be a music-comedy act. A couple of the others were reasonably funny, but the musical content was minimal, I'm afraid. Jay Foreman, however, is a talent to watch! For me, he was head and shoulders better than anyone else in the final.

EARL OKIN, March 2010