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Michael Legge: Fringe 2012
Live Review
Stand 2

The universe has clearly got it in for Michael Legge. Whatever he did to piss it off, it’s getting its revenge in scores of tiny instalments every single day.

For this show, Legge started a diary of all the embarrassing things that befell him, but racked up so many he stopped after a couple days, presumably before he developed writer’s cramp.

Oftentimes, this makes him angry, the battering of frustrations taking its inevitable toll. Yet, paradoxically, he has also come to accept this miserable fate, and takes the myriad of daily humiliations with a Zen-like acceptance of the random unkindness of existence.

Thankfully, though, there’s nothing like the misfortunes of others to generate laughs, which mean Legge’s cringe-inducing stories are a rich vein, which he mines with passion and creativity. Only the really big things now get him really psychotically irate, like travelling by Virgin Trains, and there can be few who don’t share that fury.

Even with this common-or-garden story of commuter misery, Legge tells it with a mounting aggravation that is clearly heartfelt. But it’s when he gets into the more unusual pratfalls that seem only to happen to him that we find the most fertile ground. This is slapstick as stand-up, gilded by Legge’s frequently delightful turns of comic phrase.

Comedy tropes ranging from other celebrities he resembles to sending the wrong text to his mum thus overcome their potential hack status as he takes situations to extremes, and by a linguistically scenic route.

Particularly delightful are his in-jokes and choice of pop-culture references; wilfully minor figures that nonetheless trigger memories in most the audience of a certain age.

For fans of structure, this a slightly messy show. For although the main theme is personal shame, ending with a great story about his wife tracing her family history from Eastern Europe to the States, Legge starts with some funny – but decidedly off-topic – rants against the indoctrination of religion, starting the gig as if in some happy-clappy God Gang. You can obviously link the inherent shame of the Catholic church to the rest of his narrative, but he barely bothers.

It doesn’t matter much, and he certainly wouldn’t be ashamed if it did. Legge is a man who’s learned to own his embarrassment… but he’s still happy to share.

Very much enjoyed ML's Edinburgh preview show last night at Manchester's Platt Chapel/XS Malarkey where he performed on same bill as Phil Jupitus. He knows how to make himself heard and his professionalism shone through at this intimate but appreciative venue. It looked like he had more than enough material for his embryonic show.

Ben, June 2012

Would love to see Michael with a good crowd, his material was brill and he was a joy to watch

Anth Young, June 2012

Michael is one of the funniest comedians in the country. I've seen him about five times now and it's been belly laughs all the way.

Richard Asbury, January 2011

Saw Michael last Friday. He is brilliant-had the whole room roaring with laughter.

Chris Watts, September 2010

Michael just gets better and better

Big Al, August 2005

The recent improv stuff that Michael has been producing is great, he seems to be in his comedy element with the extra risk factor. If you have only seen him compere (which he is also very good at) go and have a look. Very funny and terribly exciting

Tamsyn Payne, January 2004

A funny compere and a sound bloke to boot... Very impressed

Tombola, January 2003

Simply one of the best comperes around

[Anon], June 2001