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Minkley’s Night of Mirth 3
Live Review
Brighton Komedia

Ed Moore

It was a line-up many big charity benefits would envy – certainly enough to easily sell out Brighton’s Komedia.

Minkley’s Night of Mirth was the third such fundraiser in aid of The Samaritans and in memory of Oliver Minkley, a local musician and new-act comic who took his own life in 2010.

The biggest draw would surely have been Stewart Lee, here trying out material for the next series of his Comedy Vehicle on BBC Two. And if this set is anything to go by, he’s developing a more political edge, subjecting the party leaders and the entire system and its ‘illusion of dissent’ under the same intense, sarcastic scrutiny he’s previously applied to his fellow comics. Not that comedy itself escapes entirely, with the usual analysis of his own gags, and a typically iconoclastic attack on Bill Hicks, slaying a sacred cow many of his own followers will hold dear.

Lee was preceded by Rob Beckett, heavy on the ‘be lucky’ Sarf London patter, and ever-affable compere Ed Gamble, who couldn’t have been left in any doubt he was playing Brighton after engaging with one front-row punter who’s job was making windchimes, and another who worked in a chichi vegetarian coffee shop cutesily titled Wai Kika Moo Kau. [Why Kick A Moo Cow].

The second section was dominated by comedy hip-hop. Mr B The Gentleman Rhymer, reimagining hits from the second summer of love with his ukulele and cut-glass accent proved the perfect entertainment for a crowd who surely still remembered those happy rave days, but now prefer to sit down for their nights out. Abandoman also featured, with their ever-crowd-pleasing improvised rap What’s In Your Pocket? and a mini-epic based on the lives of two audience members. The stand-up pastrami in this rap sandwich was Michael Fabbri, incredulously puzzled about how a world he doesn’t quite fit into, could possibly function. Smug grammar Nazis, ITV schedulers or unchivalrous pornographers are among those he just doesn’t quite understand.

Kicking off part three, Nick Helm, fresh from the announcement that he’s to star in his own BBC Three series, didn’t quite behave with the decorum that a representative of Her Majesty’s broadcaster should. Few are as expert at exposing the raw desperation of stand-up as him, barking his dubious jokes with such raw aggression right into the faces of the terrified front row, thirsting for their approval and even love. His typically full-on finale was a visceral overload that closing act Mark Watson, with his amiable commentary of life, found some difficulty in following.

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I generally enjoy the (very different) *performances* of both Stewart Lee and of Michael McIntyre. This said, I can't ever see myself watching MM live for reasons both relating to ticket price and to the size of the venues he performs in. I've now seen Stewart Lee maybe half a dozen times both in sub-200 seater venues and in a couple of the performance spaces at the Lowry. I agree that he is an acquired taste and for the most part I have really enjoyed what he has served up. However, he is now moving out of the price range that I'm comfortable with (£17-50 last year) AND I'm also becoming less comfortable with some of his targets; perceiving them to be somewhat mean-spirited and opportunistic. Those cleverer than I may say that I am missing the irony when he purports to mock Russell Howard or MM but I think this is something that is in the eye of the beholder. Right or wrong, to me it seems a tad lazy and unnecessary. And, although I know that Lee likes to show how he practices the craft, this year I found myself wondering as to, following his successive "revealing" tales regarding youthful faux interactions respectively involving Richard Hammond and David Cameron, just who he'd make up a story about next time. Even if the point remains valid, regardless of the accuracy of the described events... So, I can admire what they both do, and I'll watch them both on the telly and buy Stew's DVDs as I've always done, but for the reasons I've described, I'm unlikely to put myself in a paying audience to see either.

Ben, August 2011

He's a bit like a cheeky chubby version of Reg Varney who was on that television show about buses and he's got a twinkle in his eyes like a naughty Benny Hill.

Paul, July 2011

Comedy legend. An absolute master of the art form and one of the finest stand-up comedians on the circuit. Okay, so some people don't 'get' him. Well, I don't 'get' Michael McIntyre. Go figure.

Ben, July 2011

Stewart Lee is a comedy god. Literally. Most stand-ups I know actively worship him.

Alexx, June 2011

What people hate about Stewart Lee is that 1) He is a successful, popular but most of all widely respected and revered comic talent whose career credits include one of the best radio and then TV British comedies of all time and one of the best Theatre productions of all time – that is just not up for debate really, & 2) that he is an acquired taste or at least he requires a lot of trust from the audience in order to get the proper experience (He deserves this trust because he has been successful for so long and managed to stay subversive and innovative). Sometimes he is being genuinely funny and half the audience are not interested in that part of the routine, they are not going with it, so he draws attention to this. Now this is very daring and very innovative and it is good to see something innovative done by an experienced professional. He gets away with this but he really does infuriate some audience members who feel he is crossing a line or has blundered. When you watch him live you can feel there is a palpable air of tension in the room, but you always know with Stewar that there will be a payoff no matter how uncomfortable you might feel, and as he says its alright to feel uncomfortable, that is part of it. That is what I admire most his daring and that is why he has a right to be smug, because that level of command of the audience is very impressive. I find his comedy very warm and very, very funny. It stays with you like a satisfying Sunday roast.

James, May 2011

This guy is just evil. I am a sardine, and I saw Tom O'Connor live, and he was brilliant, really funny, talked about oil, and loads of stuff that I can relate to, that's what comedy should be about. This guy Lee though, he's just got loads of ideas and stuff, and he's anti-Christian and probably a communist. Plus he speaks really slowly which means you don't get much for your money, go and see Lee Evans, or better yet buy a Lee Evan's dvd and watch it on fast forward. Why the BBC decided to put this guy's show on in the pre-Babestation slot at half eleven is a mystery to me- didn't get me in the mood at all, although there is more Armando Iannucci this time round.

Dan, May 2011

you might have noticed a distinct correlation between many of his more vehement critics and their inability to spell most words correctly.

small businessman gone berserk, May 2011

@Someoneyoudon'tknow - you comment says only one thing, you are intimidated by intelligence. You must be a very insecure person to feel the need to look up Stewart Lee on this site and make a post that basically shouts out to everyone, "Stewart Lee made me feel inadequate." Haha, enjoy McIntyre

Chalkus, March 2011

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