Magners Glasgow International Comedy festival

May 2010

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Des Clarke: Des Comedy Jam
Live Review

Des Clarke’s show is super Scottish. He’s an award-winning radio presenter in Glasgow, and his high-energy walk on music and intro is met with equal enthusiasm from a heavily Scottish crowd.

His trademark million-mile-an-hour approach has slowed to merely ‘very quick indeed’, but his clarity is enviable and you get a lot of funny for your money here. He’s magnificent at telling the Scots about themselves: the busted economy comparable to Iceland, the likely pitfalls of the Commonwealth games in Glasgow, Scottish football, tennis hero Andy Murray, John Smeaton the Glasgow Airport terrorism hero.

There’s some huge laughs to be had from his stories of a Gorbals upbringing, Scottish vernacular and unflinching approach to strong language. Who thought mum’s swearing could still be funny? But it really is when it’s his mum doing his toiletries shopping. The man next to me had tears of laughter splashing off his knees and I wasn’t far behind.

He really delivers a strong, laugh-filled hour with a mixture of personal anecdotes about his working-class background, family and friends, and then the gleeful examination of Scotland’s national character, the local genius for turning negatives to positives and Scotland’s place in the world.

He’s really not stretching himself much with this show, and gets a very easy ride from a local crowd, but what he’s neglecting in his personal development he invests in delivering a properly entertaining, hilarious show.

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Absolutely outstanding. Des is a fireball of energy on stage, giving the audience very little time to digest one joke before moving onto the next equally funny one. Original style, intelligent material and excellent persona. In a class of his own

Mark Nelson, October 2006

Absolute genius.

Barry Dodds, September 2005

Superb, I have seen him a few times now and he is better every time.

George Cameron, July 2005

Excellent. And genuinely original, which puts him in a catergory with about seven other comics in the UK.

Nelson, March 2005

Perhaps the least funny attempt at a stand up I have ever seen. Awful, and annoying to boot.

Graham, January 2005

How come he can keep improving and getting funnier every time I see him? For goodness sake Mr Clarke, think about us poor mortals.

Patrick Rolink, November 2004

Bloody inspired. This boy deserves recognition and a lie-in on Saturday. Fucking brilliant.

Amy, August 2004

Des is class - pure and simple.

Airdrie, June 2004

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