Stewart Lee Presents...

Red button extra from his Comedy Vehicle

More Kevin Eldon videos

Kevin Eldon started on the stand-up circuit in the early Nineties performing as the political poet Paul Hamilton, and occassionally he still performs the character at one-off live events.

However, it is for his TV work that he is best known, having taken part in many of the most critically-acclaimed comedy shows of the Nineties and Noughties.

One of his earliest collaborations was with Stewart Lee and Richard Herring, appearing on their Fist Of Fun series on radio and TV, and the follow-up This Morning With Richard Not Judy. He also regularly works with Chris Morris, appearing in Jam, Brass Eye and Nighty Night.

Other significant roles include Julia Davis' cancer-ridden husband Terry in Nighty Night, a key member of the team on the Big Train sketch show and the lead role of York in BBC Two sci-fi comedy Hyperdrive.

But his full list of credits reads like a 'best of' list of British comedies, with supporting roles in Smack The Pony, I'm Alan Patridge, Spaced, Black Books, 15 Storeys High, Look Around You, Saxondale, Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle and more.

Outside of comedy, his credits include Scrope in the BBC adaptation of Robin Hood.

His debut solo show, Kevin Eldon Is Titting About, premiered at the 2010 Edinburgh Fringe, and won the Chortle Award for best show the following year.

Greenwich Comedy Festival: Ardal O'Hanlon etc
Live Review
Old Royal Naval College

This was meant to be Sean Lock’s night. Instead the midway point of the Greenwich Comedy Festival was headlined by ‘Ireland’s number Sean Lock impersonator’, Ardal O’Hanlon. He, and the supporting bill, provided a night of solid, dependable laughs, even though they could never provide an event to stand out amid the other impressive line-ups organisers have pulled off this week.

Compere Arthur Smith’s shtick is familiar by now – but his ‘elder statesman’ status means the gags are now classic, not merely old. You might say the chances of him writing new jokes are as likely as a naked woman walking across his stage… yet both featured in his entertaining and occasionally poetic badinage.

For an appetiser, Kevin Eldon is something of a strong taste. His eccentric sensibilities, fast, fragmented style and inventive, knowing writing take a little getting used to, especially with a large, relatively mainstream crowd such as this. Yet his sheer commitment to his ideas – as diverse as the French Proclaimers or the portrayal of Hitler with the voice of Beatles producer George Martin – pull the audience along with him. Conventions of stand-up are thrown on to his bonfire, as he searches for a catchphrase or gets physically demonstrative of his off-kilter thoughts. The set is all over the place – but in a good way.

Rap improvisers Abandoman are a much easier sell, and here performed with bass, keys, drums and a two-man brass section backing up the core duo of Rob Broderick and James Hancox. They have their established formats, such as the ‘what’s in your pocket?’ rap based around objects the audience hold aloft, and Broderick thinks fast enough to come up with spur-of-the-moment couplets for them all. And the audience member whose childhood dream was to be a bodypopper, and now wanted to know how Michael McIntyre came up with his material, proved a godsend when it came to ad libbing a short hip-hop musical. The autotuned spirit of Kanye West and the anti-establishment ethos of Rage Against The Machine are evoked in other songs, giving some variation to their routine and providing a funky bassline to invigorate the crowd.

O’Hanlon’s set was based around the familiar feelings of being rather overwhelmed and quietly frustrated by life, often because of the unreliability of those around him, even though he’s well aware of his own failings, especially when it comes to traditional ideas of masculinity. He has a quirky turn of phrase and evocative imagry to describe all this, so even when the comedy seems a little too straightforward – such as his disappointment in receiving a charity birthday gift of a Peruvian pear tree – he charms through it all.

Although these are largely domestic gripes, the former Father Ted star shows a glint of real edge on the topic of paedophile priests, his cold steel puncturing the otherwise fluffy exterior. Other topical points about image-obsessed politicians or Ireland’s financial woes might not be informed by the same genuine dismay, but he offered quirky takes on familiar ideas. Perhaps there’s more of a political comic trying to burst through his Everyman demeanour.

Not a comedian but a character actor.

Si, March 2011

Brilliant! Had no idea what to expect from a Kevin Eldon live show but I have to say his Edinburgh show was my personal highlight that year. I hope to see Eldon live again as soon as possible. 5/5

Alan, November 2010

Saw Fringe show on 8th at Stand. Had only seen Kevin on tele (Jam, Big Train, Stewart Lee, etc) and went expecting to be a bit let down with his live show as I am a tad miserable. Delighted to say show was tremendous. Lots of material based on tele shows but fresh and very fun. If you have enjoyed his tele bits I think you would be as happy as was the crowd we were part of.

scott, August 2010

Saw Kevin @The Stand @ The Fringe Aug 2010. Cracking show. Laughed all the way through it. Well worth seeing, hope he's touring!

sm, August 2010

Saw a preview on 22nd - Enjoyed it immensely - I found myself laughing hysterically and impressed at his skill - especially his 'acting'.

John, July 2010

Just saw a preview gig for his 2010 Edinburgh show - Really good, inventive, anarchic stuff - somewhere between Steve Coogan and Phil Kay but not the same as either. Recommended.

Jon, July 2010