At Knock2Bag

February 2010

More Phil Kay videos

Phil Kay burst on to the comedy circuit in 1989, when he won the new act contest So You Think You're Funny in only its second year.

His unpredictable, freestyle approach won him a Perrier nomination in 1993 and the award for best stand-up at the 1994 British Comedy Awards, and he was given his own Channel 4 show, Phil Kay Feels..., in 1997, which was recorded in front of a live audience to try to capture his manic energy

However, the showcase failed to make him a star and, aside from the occasional panel game appearance, his career is now limited mainly to shows at Edinburgh and other festivals.

He has recently started hosting kids’ shows on the festival scene, where his silly style has proved popular with the younger audience.

Original Review:

As a completely freewheeling comic, a Kay gig can be one extreme or another.

Chortle has seen him storm a room, and with good reason, thanks to his energetic, spontaneous clowning. He does his highwire improvisation with no safety net, though, and with no material to fall back on the set has been known to fall embarrasingly.

That happened the night we last saw him. Kay failed to make any connection with the audience who sat mostly in bemused silence for well over two hours. It was a frustratingly meandering show, always threatening to be funny but rarely being so.

As the night wore on, the lack of structure, or indeed jokes, became increasingly tiresome and weary punters started drifting out.

When he bombs, he certainly does it properly. Let's hope he's as thorough when it comes to doing a good set.

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Phil at Universal Hall, Findhorn was his usual loquacious self, plenty of interaction with the audience. Unpredictability is a word you would use to describe Phil's comedy antics, both verbally and physically, was on his best behaviour and delivered a good night of comedy for two hours.

Douglas Thomson, April 2012

The show in Aberdeen last night was an unmitigated disaster. He was hilarious for five or ten minutes and then the whole thing just degenerated into him haranguing people ordering drinks at the bar for being noisy. He appeared to be drunk, to be honest.rnHalf the audience left before the interval and he was eventually booed offstage. Not a good night and painful to watch.

Alan Shand, April 2012

Just saw Phil Kay at leicster square theater, it was fantastic! Best comedy act iv ever seen.

Kieran allsopp, April 2012

Saw Phil as part of a line-up at Udderbelly in April 11. He came on in high spirits, running into the crowd and chatting to the audience, but then started being quite aggressive and rambling on about how the monarchy had done nothing for Scotland (it was the day of the Royal wedding). He then flashed his cock, said the organisers were stupid for paying him in advance and after calling everyone in the audience a c*nt, walked out after two minutes. Most people did start laughing then at least.

mark, April 2011

I went to see him last night at the Brook Green Hotel, Shepherds Bush. Anyone who finds watching an aggressive pissed tramp rambling nonsense before pulling down their pants in the desperate hope of getting a laugh should definitely go and see him. He was taken off early. Those that didn't leave only stayed out of fear inspired by the aggression of his mental institution persona. Calling him a comedian is the height of irony.

Sloth, May 2010

I went to see him last night at the Brook Green Hotel, Shepherds Bush. Anyone who finds watching an aggressive pissed tramp rambling nonsense before pulling down their pants in the desperate hope of getting a laugh should definitely go and see him. He was taken off early. Those that didn't leave only stayed out of fear inspired by the aggression of his mental institution persona. Calling him a comedian is the height of irony.

Sloth, May 2010

Saw Phil last night in Sevenoaks.What planet does he live on, most of the audience walked out, pathetic. Even when he was offered a life line to come off, just carried on & more people left. Sadly this isn't comedy for me

David, April 2010

I like unusual and thoughtful comedy. I can also go with "safe and simple" comedy. Perhaps my link between the two is the word "comedy". A man standing on the stage rambling and chucking crockery at people, is not the best comedy I have seen, though Circus Clowns and slapstick never did it for me. If you like car crash comedy, and manipulative confrontation then Phil is your man.

Sean Brickell, January 2010

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