Liam Mullone: A Pornographic Palaver

From In A Dead Man's Hat

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Liam Mullonel: Fringe 2012
Live Review
Stand 3 and 4

As always, Liam Mullone has some intelligent, incisive comments on British society –  although this year’s offering doesn’t consistently marry that with belly-laughs; making A Land Fit For Fuckwits sometimes seem like a State Of The Nation speech from a wittily grumpy misanthrope.

It’s an unfortunate coincidence that at one point he speaks of the accumulation of clutter, as that seems to be a characteristic of the show, too. Mullone’s too savvy a writer not to tie up most of the disparate elements into some sort of narrative conclusion, but it’s not 100 per cent convincing.

Strangely, this is a show that is better in retrospect than at the time. It’s dense with ideas and observations that will lurk in your consciousness, though at the time they often fall into the ‘more interesting than funny’ category.

Some individual elements shine brightly: his description of the tyrannical order of a wedding day, described as The Kingdom Of Us, is bang on the money; while his demolition of his wife’s picky, ‘controlling bigot’ of a friend demanding an unattainable ‘purity’ in donor sperm while seeking artificial insemination is deliciously blunt.

As you may have guessed from the title, Mullone does not have much time for the feckless and the ignorant he encounters day-to-day: from the preposterously PC ex, to those who need adverts to tell them rape is a no-no. He thinks the working class are rubbish and his own middle class, too, come to mention it. But not for the usual clichés of hummus and pretentious children’s names – Mullone’s too cerebral for that – but for absolving themselves of any responsibility for anything.  Meanwhile, especially sarcastic opprobrium is afforded the EastEnders scriptwriters, who have created a world of terrifyingly short life-expectancy (DeceasedEnders?)

Mullone is a stickler for logical solutions to the mire he thinks we’re stuck in, and he has a bold idea that would solve the world’s problems and create, literally, one big melting pot. It’s the sort of grand premise upon which  a dystopian sci-fi novel might be constructed, and indicative of the intellectual ambition Mullone possesses.

The laughs could be more readily forthcoming, but in terms of creating comedy with thought and purpose, Mullone is one of the good guys. And certainly better he be a comic than global dictator… that almost certainly wouldn’t work out.

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I saw him at Leciester Square. Very funny and very intelligent. I was still laughing about his stuff on the guy getting shot out of a canon. I'm keen to see him again. Hopefully he will have a longer set next time.

Emily, October 2011

Saw him at End of the Road Festival. His stuff sbout how overseas poor people are better than ours was pretty daring at a laid back, slightly Guardianista gathering, and really put a rocket up the afternoon's fun. Really, really good stuff. .. once you work out its all tongue in cheek. Why've we never heard of him??

Lem Caldicott, September 2011

Stunning stuff, delivered with sincerity and style. Kept the whole room mesmerised. Didn't hear a single thing I'd heard before either. Now my fourth favourite comedian! (There's 50 is my chart so not bad).

S Lockmiel, August 2008

Utter crap! Go back to writing obituaries, your career's dead!

Disgruntled of Farringdon., July 2008

A totally awexome act. Why has Liam never won a major competition? He certainly should be a big name, and stands out head and shoulders above most acts on the circuit. Intelligent material delivered in a wonderful, whimiscal style. Unique.

Toni, November 2006

His originality and delivery stand out a million miles. He's a great wordsmith and an intelligent person with a broader world to talk about than many comics.

Juliet Meyers, July 2006

A shambolic tour-de-force of incomparable wit. Why haven't you seen him yet? He is tops.

Lloyd Langford, April 2005

Seemingly vague and aloof; actually razor sharp and really very charming. The gay lunchbox material should be seen by anyone who has ever been to school.

Petra Michels, March 2005

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