Andy Linden: I Kid You Not
Live Review

With his compellingly growly voice, distinctively sinister look and perfectly judged performance, Andy Linden should pick up a lot more acting work on the back of this showcase.

But with stories so unremarkable, audience members who aren’t in the business might wonder why they are paying for the privilege of watching him audition for roles.

The former stand-up – who admits his appearance is not so much Brad Pitt as ‘Cess Pitt’ – delivers a masterful performance, evoking characters and atmosphere with his emotive, but always undeniably rough-edged London voice, while a restrained but animated physicality adds to the style.

But for all the skill and effort he puts into their telling, often in a conspiratorial hush, the tales just don’t engage. Sharing a turbulent plane journey with a hard-drinking fellow thespian has more than a touch of the luvvie about it, even if it does come with a working-class accent;while drunkenly asking Van Morrison for an autograph or watching war films with his dad, a former PoW, aren’t made to resonate either. And when he talks about a run-in with a short-tempered Roman Polanksi on the set of Oliver Twist, in which Linden played a chimney-sweep, you can’t help but think ‘I’m sure that’s not the worst thing he’s ever done…’

Only the anecdote about the bawdy Cuban feast he attended has a bit more substance, but it has far too much build-up, proving again that however good an actor is, he can only be as good as the material.

Linden is about to get a lot more exposure, having been cast as Mundungus Fletcher in the forthcoming Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows – but he might want to start editing the anecdotes before he hits the chat-show circuit.

Saw Andy on the 9th at the Fringe and found him to be a very capable story teller and actor. I loved his voice, affectations and presence but found the material too weak to carry a show. I was not entertained and wished he had found a writer to work with to create material to do his obvious skills justice. Would not recommend this show but would the man with a better act.

scott, August 2010

A great act. Where has he gone?

Riera, June 2010

Andy Linden is the original working class but alternative comedian. I saw him in 1979 on a bill with Tony Allen and Jim Barclay and he completly entranaced an audience of Anarchists. Then again last year in Hampstead where he totally seduced and menaced a very posh crowd with equal measure. This man just doesn't perform often enough.

John Thomas, August 2002