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Paul Foot: Ash In The Attic
Live Review

At the top of his show, Paul Foot announces that he isn’t a conventional comedian. Anyone aware of his career so far will already know that his gigs are never likely to follow any of the ‘rules’ that govern stand-up.

Even if you’re not familiar with his work, his appearance is a good indicator of the eccentricity to come –the kipper tie and pale slacks of the Seventies comedian and a most entertaining mullet, almost shaved at the top with shoulder-length waves beneath. However, this does prove a most practical style when it comes to wearing the collection of hats he models on picture postcards handed out at the end of the gig.

As an unconventional comedian, Foot ponders the convention that he should come on applause – should it not, instead, be warm receptive faces? So he decides to start the show all over again and try it both ways. Plenty of shambling follows, including stealing a bag from the front row with the line ‘Would you like me to store that for you?’

‘Let’s get straight to it’ he announces at least ten minutes in and the show, directed by Noel Fielding, starts (again). Welcome to the unhinged , but brilliant, world of Paul Foot.

Sometimes this is like watching a doddering old lady who’s slightly losing her marbles potter about her kitchen trying to get some tea together, muttering to herself, trying one thing then wandering off and doing something entirely different.

He slips into a lengthy routine of ‘topical’ humour about Shire horses, village fetes and homophobia. Then some one-liners are read off patterned cue cards and there’s a final drama featuring skeletons, Rachmaninov and a giant trifle.

Foot’s a daring comedian, never concerned about bamboozling his crowds and accepting that he frequently splits an unsuspecting room. Though when Chortle were in, the crowd seemed to be made up of fans; there were many shrieks of uncontrollable laughter and when an imaginary phone is passed around after Foot tires of the verbose fictional person on the other end, many in the audience happily continue the charade.

It’s inspired, surreal and incomprehensibly funny. Don’t question it, just go with it.

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He's my favourite comedian in the world

Paul Foot, March 2010

I agree with Scott for me he is brilliant, original and cutting edge. Among the few comedians I would travel to see including Trevor Lock, Milton Jones, Stewart Lee and Joe Wilkinson

Paul, March 2010

He's a genius, and his influence on other comics is immense. His is an act I'd cross town to see, and one of the few comics I'd consistently recommend.

Scott Allen, April 2009

Watching him in the Wheatsheaf in London Almost ruined a weekend in the capital. luckily I also caught Russell Howard who restored my faith in young British comedy. Paul Foot is not funny. Watching him struggle on stage trying to explain his jokes was awful. Avoid at all costs.

Alan D\'Arcy, March 2009

I thought he was awful. I spent the entire evening cringing on his behalf at how un-funny he was. To be fair, the audience seemed split - half of them were Americans who seemed to find his incoherent ramblings utterly pant-wettingly funny, while the core of the audience sitting around me seemed to recoil in horror at how this man was bombing on stage. I think the worst part was that Paul seemed to find himself irresistably amusing, often pausing to snigger at his own poor jokes. The low point for me had to be when he decided to talk at length about his theory on making 'gay babies'. Just not funny! A comedian who has to point out to the audience that he is about to tell a joke is not original - he's just bad.

Katie, March 2009

I'm not a fan of his, to be honest, but American reaction to his appearance on Last Comic Standing proved, yet again, how wide the gap between their perceptions and our reality are. Over here, he's described as "surreal" and compared to Kenneth Williams or Peter Cook. But look at all the sites and forums devoted to Last Comic Standing -- just about all the Yanks mentioned Mr Bean in describing him! Whom he's absolutely nothing like, in looks or approach. Considering they rule us now, they could at least try to get on our wavelength.

Frank Gibbons, September 2008

In the kinda language he'd probably use, rather a curate's egg... The nervy 'stance' may be a valid persona or just a Woddy-Allenesque excuse to turn a negative into a positive. The desperate gag-explanations may be a neat postmodernist swipe at the genre or just a cop-out to pad out the set. The poncey language can be jolly silly, or it can just get on your tits and distract your attention from the meat of what he's actually trying to say. I enjoyed Paul's set, but it isn't for everyone.

Michael Monkhouse, July 2008

Subversive and strange. You will love it or hate it. I love it. If you hate it, you are wrong. I have seen entire audiences crying with laughter whilst he's on stage. More daring and inventive than seven other comedians put together

Adam Montgomery, September 2007

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