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In 1999, Josie Long won the BBC New Comedy Award at the age of just 17 - making her too young for the champagne that came as part of the prize. Despite the boost the award would have given to her comedy career, she took time off performing to complete her English degree at Oxford university, returning in 2003.

Following the break, she was named best newcomer in the Chortle awards in 2005, and best breakthrough act the following year. In 2006, she also scooped best newcomer in the if.comeddie awards for her solo Edinburgh debut, Kindness and Exuberance

Alexei Sayle Presents...
Live Review
Soho Theatre

Alexei Sayle says it was a reluctant decision to return to stand-up after such a along absence, admitting that he was wary he might only be held in such high regard as a founding father of alternative comedy because so few people had actually seen him on stage.

‘Diluting the legacy’ his wife called his comeback– a title for a tour if ever there was one. But on the evidence of this, just his fourth gig in 16 years, Britain’s pioneering anarcho-Marxist comedy star-cum-Mrs Marple actor has very little to fear.

Sure, at the age of 59, some of the feral aggression has gone, as have some of the old certainties. ‘Politics is a lot more complicated now,’ he says – but that could just as well be the effects of his broader life’s experience, not just the blurring of the old left vs right battle lines of the Eighties.

Sayle’s more recent work encompasses adverts for the Wild Bean Café, which might, he confesses, suggest a toning down of his firebrand tendencies. But hasn’t abandoned his beliefs altogether, with a closing routine that carries a reference to the Sabra and Shatila massacre.

But politics is – and always was – just one ingredient in the pie, and Sayle is just as happy doing pub gags about blind hippos going in to pubs, or observational routines deconstructing Casualty. In the wrong hands either could be hack, but Sayle has strong instincts and a rascally delivery that makes this effortless and fun. And while the full-on mania has gone, it’s been replaced by a more accessible, natural wit.

His own career informs much of his self-deprecating material, including a couple of well-pitched anecdotes from his brief stint as a novelty pop star, and an especially delightful piece about how Ben Elton – his successor as Comedy Store compere – got his own back after being the brunt of Sayle’s festering disdain for years. A couple of these segments are old material, but he still makes them feel fresh, thanks to the timing and genial presence it’s almost impossible to fake.

This isn’t a full comeback, but a tentative toe in the water as he fronts a series of cross-generational showcases in the Soho Theatre’s lovely basement club. And whether it’s what he’s doing on stage now, or the more unruly days he represents, but he engenders a playfully feisty atmosphere in the crowd, which rears its head a couple of times.

In the guise of her ant comedian, Bridget Christie largely baffles the audience, which is slightly surprising as such surreal oddness is surely a throwback to the best days of alternative cabaret. Even though her ridiculous parallels between the prejudices faced by female comedians and formic ones deserves better than this, she remains cheerfully stoic, insisting awkwardness was what she always planned as ‘laughter is undignified’.

Nonetheless, the audience really get into the spirit of things when she embarks on her ant based puns, with a series of perfectly-judged heckles all ending in ‘-ant’ – and the ensuing banter on both sides1 lifts the set.

No such disrespect is afforded Simon Munnery, who is given free rein to entertain with his pithy, oblique gags. He opens with a routine about killing dogs that’s skilfully inoffensive, before re-enacting an imaginary theological debate with Richard Dawkins, who is given the voice of a particularly pedantic EL Wisty. And all that’s relatively mainstream in comparison to his jauntily geeky song about the architects of the ill-fated R101 airship, which nonetheless hits the mark. His current tour, named after that track, is a return to form after a few years of treading water – and this charming, sharp set continued that winning streak.

The audience were back on their springs for Josie Long, vocally challenging her account that there was a time when people stood in front of their televisions for the National Anthem played at closedown came. But she handled it beautifully, calling up her expert witness, and creating a nice moment of spontaneity.

At the start of her set, she confessed it has been a while since she’d performed just 20 minutes – and in the event stayed on stage for what must have been about twice that, which seemed too long in the context of this showcase.

This aside, her political-tinged routine, with its key themes of fair taxation and universal free education can be a little soapboxy, but she wins through on puppyish charm and passionate conviction. But even she appeared shocked when her suggestion the Royals’ heads should be on spikes was so enthusiastically endorsed by what she considered a conservative audience – indicating Sayle’s fans haven’t entirely softened in their advancing middle age.

For despite his reservations about putting his hat back in the stand-up ring, this is his show, and even though he had penned only a few routines for the occasion, it certainly proved he can still be relevant – and more importantly funny – after his absence. It’s early days, but his legacy looks more than safe so far.

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Look, everyone, she's got no clothes on!

Richard, January 2012

Josie Long is one of the best comedians around. She's not for everyone but unfortunately with comedy nobody likes to admit they don't get something. People can admit they don't understand a film or that a certain type of band is not for them but when it comes to comedy furiously insist "I do get it! It's just not funny! If it was funny, I'd like it because I have a great sense of humour!" I'd love to see Josie on TV but I know that with more exposure she'll get more people turning up to her gigs expecting mainstream comedy. Thats a shame and I hope her gigs don't become overrun with idiot hecklers expecting rapid-fire one-liners about the same topical bullshit everyone on tv is banging on about.rnrnI've seen her twice this month and I've got tickets to see her again next month. She's quickly becoming the only comedian I drop everything to go and see. She's also beautiful. Not that that matters.

Ryan, December 2011

Saw Josie tonight at the Hare and Hounds in Birmingham. Supremely talented and funny, intellectual, cerebral and surreal. Original thinking and hugely entertaining. Would thoroughly recommend. One female friend likened her to having the elegance and beauty of Drew Barrymore coupled with a sweet nature and intelligence. Hope that she comes to Birmingham again.

m, December 2011

A group of us saw Josie a few weeks ago in Dublin. It was embarassingly unfunny by anyone's standards,the stories she was telling just werent even anecdotally funny we thought a lot of stuff was lost in translation for an irish audience but it seems looking at these reviews, she just isn't funny. She seems very nice but I wouldn't go to see her again

Dave, July 2011

I'm utterly bewildered by some of the comments. Josie is wildly talented and incredibly funny. Her gigs go about a dozen steps beyond bog-standard stand-up , I think that's what some people struggle with.

James, March 2011

Big fan of Josie Long. She is very very funny. Not got see her live yet but very much looking forward to doing so. She is right up there with my favourite comedians now.

Richard, January 2011

Buckle me in - I love Josie! Face is hurting from laughing and smiling so much. Have seen her before and she's just got better and better. Hilarious but full of absolute truth. Forget looking at breakfasts I could watch Josie everyday for 100 days and be a very happy girl. Without wanting to sound like a scary, deranged nutter - Josie I love you, be my friend!

Amy, November 2010

Seen her, and have to agrr with the other 6 recent reviews by people who dare speak out and try and be honest so we can all get a rounded view from genuine comedy fans. Emporer's New Clothes anyone?

Me, October 2010

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