The Unfortunate Girl With A Bum For A Face

More Duncan Oakley videos

Musical comedy act who started in the late Nineties and can perform with guitar, harmonica, drums and piano

Duncan Oakley's Favourite Things at the Manchester Comedy Festival
Live Review
Manchester Tiger Lounge

He’s a rock musician, who talks a lot about sex and uses the most offensive four-letter words with abandon. Yet somehow Duncan Oakley is strangely reminiscent of benign comic legend Terry Scott.

For at the heart of his often dirty set, there’s a cheekiness and childishness that’s about as offensive as Scott singing about ‘pinching little girls up the High Street’ in his ancient comedy-pop ditty My Brother.

Oakley’s material is, in its own way, just as far from the edge. Talking about boozing and shagging is de rigeur for the modern stand-up, and Oakley ticks these boxes. But while his material might not always be strikingly original, it is relentless. He has an ear for the joke, and they come thick and fast – no matter how daft, or occasionally how obvious.

There is, indeed, a frequent dash of silliness to his material, both in the one-liners and in tracks such as The Girl With A Bum For A Face, or the song about his pet fly who forms a band. They sound like titles the more whimsical and more established Boothby Graffoe might come up with, but Oakley’s driven by daft, simple gags rather than Graffoe’s stylised surrealism. You might even call him the unthinking man’s Boothby Graffoe.

But whatever limitations he has in other areas, he more than makes up with his gag rate; punchlines come at a heckler-proof rate and he has the confidence and the gift of the gab that will help him spa with the most lively audience, or inject a spark of energy into the most moribund one. The mischievous charm stands him in very good stead, and you can forgive a lot from someone who comes up with a joke as silly as his plectrum-swallowing one.

Oakley is an accomplished guitarist, drummer and harmonica player, but his biggest talent is his relentless bonhomie, making for an engagingly inane performance.

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Absolute genius, go see him now

zack, September 2010

Just seen him at the Cambridge Comedy marquee and found him very funny, best of a not very inspiring lot. His play on words and stringing the audience along got the best laughs of the evening. Original and talented, without usual obvious and not funny shag/f**k jokes he was a breath of fresh air. Would happily travel to see him again.

Ros Mills, August 2010

Great in Reading, enjoyed his humour, especially transport references :)

simon, May 2010

Saw him at Middlesbrough town hall over christmas, he was awesome, some of the best comedy songs I've ever heard. I was wetting myself by the end

michelle gruder, December 2009

I have seen Duncan Oakley twice, once at a gig at Scarborough in front of students and once in Harrogate in front of, well Harrogate people! Both nights he killed. Had the crowd from start to finish. I personally found him hilarious both times, even though his set hadn't varied much. Also true that he does a string of knob gags (erm, pun not intended!) and the like, but still very funny. Give him a try. You seem to love him or hate him!

Kevin Jackson, January 2007

Just seen Duncan Oakley no one seemed to find him remotely funny and I had diffictulty hearing anything he said cos of the guitar. Didn't even finish with a decent song!

Doris Wilson, November 2006

Great comedian, seen him twice, although his material hadn't moved on much in over a year. He needs to hold off from the predictable cheap gags that pad his set out, but all in all and truly talented performer with loads of potential.

Andy Tattersall, June 2006

Saw Duncan in Chester yesterday and thought him an excellent entertainer. Excellently delivered his cheeky material and had the audience in the palm of his hand.

Simon Sandler, March 2006

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