Compering BBC Three on the Fringe

Edinburgh 2011

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Named best compere at the 2010 Chortle Awards, at the third time of being nominated.

Pleasance Ahoy!
Live Review
Bourne End The Bounty

The Bounty in Cock Marsh, Buckinghamshire, is not a pub that hosts much comedy. In fact, it’s a pub that seems unlikely even to have a clientele, since it’s not accessible by road. Cock Marsh isn’t even a hamlet, but a water-meadow opposite the village of Bourne End. You can walk through a small wood to get there, or – better yet – hop on a tiny launch that will ferry you across the Thames, provided you can catch the attention of the boatman across the river.

The landlord has made a virtue of the isolation. ‘Twinned with Chernobyl’ says a sign over the entrance, while inside every surface is covered with paraphernalia, variously tacky, symbolic, personal or witty – sometimes all at once, sometimes none of the above. There are flags representing everything from branches of the armed services to pleasure-boat companies; handwritten community notices; old beer adverts; a stuffed seagull; plastic fish. A noose.

Host Tim Fitzhigham suggests this is a pirates’ inn, with their booty proudly displayed, which flatters the sensibilities of the regulars. This is as middle-class as an enclave can be, but this is how they can express a touch of anarchy.

They’re excited about the comedy night, too. It can’t be too often comedians off the telly make the trek out here. They’ve come as part of Pleasance Ahoy: the plan to transport comics by narrowboat between London and Edinburgh, performing pop-up gigs en route. It’s officially part of the Cultural Olympiad tied to London 2012, too, which means the shows are free.

Cock Marsh is the first stop outside London – the floating funnymen are next calling at Henley on Thursday and Wallingford next Monday – and the plan had been to set up the gig outside, with the barge and the river as the backdrop. Then the weather happened, forcing the show indoors.

By critical standards, it wasn’t a brilliant comedy night, merely an average one. But it was a brilliant event, with the sort of community atmosphere you don’t get in a metropolitan area awash with stand-up nights and audiences of strangers. Or where the show doesn’t rock up on a boat.

Being posh and jolly, Fitzhigham is instantly authoritative and charming, though his banter lost its way in the first half – only to be rekindled in the second with tales of previous derring-do on the Thames, especially the bureaucracy involved in his record-breaking 160-mile paddle in a paper boat, which proved a hit with the riverside audience.

Rob Beckett has lots of ‘diamond-in-the-rough’ charisma, but his writing is largely lame, noticing, for example, that dyslexia is a hard word to spell. Who would have noticed that… other than everyone? Now and again he would transcend such things, but there’s a lot of dull observation behind that beaming smile.

Jarred Christmas took a little time to find his feet too – at least by his standards as the consummate funmonger. The prepared material about his look and sound went down OK, no more or no less, but when he threw more caution to the wind and waded into the audience and asked punters to throw questions or topics at him, his spontaneity tapped into the more rebellious instincts of this unusual place.

After the break, quiet Welshman Matt Rees played a blinder, though his miserable demeanour could never show joy at his success. His appealing stance as a lazy loner is backed with some sharp, inventive writing, which is deliciously underplayed. A winning combination.

Headliner Reginald D Hunter was the big draw for many, judging by the number of plaudits and autograph requests he attracted after his set. But this unlikely spot was his first gig in four months, and Hunter was notably rusty. As he freely acknowledged on stage, much of his routine comprised thoughts and observations he hadn’t yet worked into punchlines. Asides like ‘that needs to be funnier,’ got laugh that the ideas which preceded it couldn’t. Still, the man has interesting ideas and an unrivalled stage presence – and what do you expect from a free show on the edge of a village? – so he gets away with it, and not for the first time.

Still, as a happening that’s bigger than the comics taking part, Pleasance Ahoy! is clearly the sort of stupid, ambitious and playful idea that the Edinburgh Fringe does best. And by taking the shows on the road – sorry, river – the 60ft narrowboat, Meggie, is proving a great ambassador for the festival.

You can follow the team's progress on pleasanceahoy.com.

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The guy is brilliant. It's about how he tells his stories, not what the stories are about. Christmas could talk about anything and make me laugh, such is his effortless charisma.

John Gleeson, April 2006

Saw him at the Comedy Store. Trains are crowded in rush hour apparently - wow, I had never noticed. And if someone farts on a crowded train, it's unpleasant. Yet another revelation. I was really disappointed. Weak observational comedy which he tries to make better by screaming it.

Noel Hurley, December 2005

I was absolutely in awe of him when i first saw him perform at the Comedy Store - he is so funny. Having seen him quite a few times at gigs in London, I think he is a brilliant improviser, and seems to be able to deal with any situation and turn even the worst gig round to his favour. Definitely go and see him - I'm sure he is far more brilliant than he was when Chortle last reviewed him in 2001.

Anna, December 2005

Fresh from having witnessed this relentless comic in Hong Kong, I can only predict success. As a regular of the stand-up circut I can only say that - Hong kong being a multi-cultural and, therefore, difficult place to relate to the masses - he delivered comedy to the pinnacle of what's expected. Impov genius  

Scott Davis, July 2005

A bit hit and miss at times. Mostly good though.

Henry, May 2005

A compere you would gladly go to war with.

Gordon, March 2005

Calm down? I say unleash this man on the world. Funny? Oh yes!

Paul Hickman, February 2005

Not much substance but he did it well when I saw him. He was the headlining man, not that it showed. Calm down a bit, Jarred

Gavin Mee, January 2005

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