Kempinska's opening night
Live Review
Kempinska's

Jongleurs founder Maria Kempinska has opened more than her fair share of comedy nights in her time, but never, until now, a venue under her own name.

Kempinska’s is more low-key than some of the more raucous venues her company often operates in: a minimalist basement bar in central London with plain walls and a smallish stage in one corner, aimed at wooing the moneyed City types who work nearby rather than the drinking-and-clubbing crowd.

Five Jongleurs circuit regulars, plus compere Geoff Norcott and a couple of musical acts, opened the venue at a preview night last week in front of an invited audience, each performing just eight minutes.

We started with Joe Rowntree, who’s one of those comics who does exactly what’s expected, with slightly blokey, slightly rude observational material, delivered confidently. It’s very safe – reassuring for bookers who want to serve up exactly what a casual audience expect stand-ups to talk about, but leaving him struggling to stand out or inject much personality into his set.

At one point, though, he does launch into something surprising – a surreal off-the-wall rant that seems to come from nowhere, shaking his routine from its complacency, and even topped with a decent punchline, not just weird for it’s own sake. It’s a nice moment, but sadly out-of character.

Built like brick outhouse, Colin Cole grabbed the audience’s attention more conclusively, grabbing lots of laughs from short, punchy gags. Unfortunately, though, they have all either been told before, or so predictable that you could fill in the punchlines yourself. His keen sense of rhythm seems wasted on this pub-gag material – like one of the old-school comedians from the Seventies.

His obsession with midgets gives him some easy gags, but he also strays into much less edifying territory, when he simply invites the audience to laugh at the silly way the little people walk. Ha! Ha! Look at the idiots with their disabilities!

Over the past couple of years arch cabaret duo Topping and Butch have undergone a makeover, switching garb from S&M to M&S – or, more likely, an even sharper gentleman’s outfitter. Though they’ve lost an obvious gimmick, the smarter look better befits the elegant camp of their song parodies.

There’s nothing new in what they are doing, but their cheek and charm is irresistibly winning, with Butch playing up the innocent and Topping the devilish influence leading him astray. Here they wisely chose to lots of short bursts of songs, getting in and out with the gags without outstaying their welcome with a full verse.

The one longer number they did tackle, a dirty version of I Dreamed A Dream, did show up it’s formulaic roots a little more – though the ‘prompting’ device was a nice touch, the filth enjoyable and Butch’s singing voice impressive. Susan Boyle, pah!

After the showmanship (and an interval), the more relaxed delivery of Ava Vidal draws the audience in, and they hush to listen to her withering put-downs – aimed at her own children. The punchlines are strong and although she knows it’s wrong to say such evil things about her own flesh and blood, she’s not apologetic, but invites the audience to share her guilty pleasure at getting the frustrations off her chest. Finally Kev Orkian, who proved the clear audience favourite of the night – thanks in no small measure to his comedy Armenian accent. Laughs come from his tale about being a poor and naive immigrant, exploited but too simple to realise it. The style is a little old-fashioned – especially in his portrayal of effeminate gay men – but its a nice story, and Orkian’s wide-eyed persona engenders empathy.

But his greatest skill is music. He’s a brilliant boogie-woogie piano player, and gets the crowd going with some call-and-response, and a virtuoso demonstration of his quick fingers. It’s not funny – but it’s very entertaining.

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I've just seen Joe at Edinburgh festival and he was brilliant. Great performance with original material based on life experiences. He had me laughing all the way through.

Leonie, August 2010

Gigged with him in Brighton and saw his act a couple of times at comic Boom. Original and exciting

Anthony Ayton, October 2009

Seen Joe a couple of times recently. Really enjoyed both sets. Plenty of well written material. Would disagree that he is trying too hard to come across as 'wacky' - it's hardly the kind of rubbish the Mighty Boosh come out with! Joe's lines are well constructed and also have a clear point.

AJ, August 2009

Awful set at the Comedy Store the other week - seems to try a bit too hard to come across as 'kooky' and 'wacky' - completely lost the audience.

ds, July 2009

Ive seen Joe several times and his comedy makes for a refreshing change. Its off beat and very funny. Go see him. he'll make you laugh like a swan.

Oli Roberts, August 2007

Saw this guy at Jongleurs on 12/05/2007 and recognised him from when he got booed offstage at the Comedy Club in Leicester Square 2 years previously. He is in such a rush to get through his material that he forgets that there is an audience trying to listen. When you do catch a word you realise that it is not worth listening to anyway. Give it up mate.

Amy, May 2007

Excellent comic! Saw him at the Funhouse gig in Nottingham a couple of days ago and he brought the roof down. The audience wanted his babies! He just kept building laughter upon laughter, with a gag that built up enough energy to power an Iranian nuclear plant.! I thoroughly recommend that you go out and see him if you can! If he gets any better...other comics won't have a job left!

Darshan, April 2007

I rarely disagree with Chortle reviews, but he is vastly better than this review suggests. Consistently funny. Very good performer and one of the very best closing routines on the circuit that can whip a crowd to a huge high even in the first section of a night.

Spiky Mike, April 2007

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