On meat

At Late N Live, Edinburgh 2008

More Tom Stade videos

Bought up in the backwoods of British Columbia Tom Stade earned his comedy stripes in Canada, where he recorded his own one-hour TV special Stade And Confused for the Comedy Network.

Now largely based in the UK, he is a circuit stalwart who has appeared on stand-up shows The Comedy Store , The Live Floor Show and The World Stands Up .

He made his Edinburgh Fringe debut in 2006 with the show And Relax.

Tom Stade Totally Rocks! Fringe 2012
Live Review
Pleasance Courtyard

In 1995, Tom Stade married a girl he’d known for three months. In Vegas, while drunk, and wearing denim shorts and a cowboy hat. We know this because he has the embarrassing video to prove it.

Seventeen years later, and he’s still married to Trudy. Pretty remarkable, given the rush of youthful, lustful infatuation has long subsided. Things have certainly changed between them, and he’s not afraid to explain exactly what.

This Edinburgh-based Canadian isn’t the only fortysomething comic to comment on the transition from feckless young man  to the stability of a long-term relationship. Indeed, you might spot a few clichés even in this strong hour – but they are clichés of life as much as they are stand-up, and Stade feels they need to be addressed.

Luckily he does so with a flair and punchiness that puts a crisp sheen on what is frequently blunt material. Some of the edges are further knocked off that by constantly seeking affirmation from the audience. To make us complicit, he nominates two couples in the front row and passes almost every hypothesis of marriage by them before expounding his theory. ‘That right, Kev?’ That combines with the tight rhythm and carefully-placed stress of his sentences to give his utterances a purposeful punch.

He mixes well-articulated observations of the familiar with graphic descriptions of his sex life and edgier comments, cheekily raising some harsh realities about his wife and his relationship with his children that can only be true, but would never be mentioned… at least in polite society.

Speaking of things that shouldn’t be said, Stade has a piece about a disabled passenger in a train carriage who was unable to control his speech; a routine which seems designed to make his audiences feel uncomfortable. Though he tries to explain it away by saying he’s laughing at the ‘situation’ not the person, you can’t help feeling he’s getting laughs from impersonating the only sounds the unfortunate chap. Yes, even if Stade did have an uncle with Down’s Syndrome.

Still it’s testament to his abilities that he pulls this off without anyone making the leap from awkward to offended, and he brought the topic back to his domestic situation just in time. The show does start to run out of steam a little a the end, as demonstrated when the big relationship issues make way for routines about Groupon. But after 17 years of marriage, that’s what his life has become…

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I have seen Tom Stade only once, and cannot wait to see him again. What a fantastic comedian! I laughed so much i almost wet my pants. Tom Stade is a must-see comedian so go see him now

Sharn W, August 2006

He was the last comedian I saw when I was up in Edinburgh for the festival last week - and I can honestly say the Edinburgh experience ended in an absolute high after seeing this man. I can't remember a time when I laughed so much - the bits about the meat van at Bilston market and the consolidation loans adverts for debt-ridden African governments made me laugh so hard I didn't need to do any sit-ups. I can't fathom why this man isn't hugely famous either, but sometimes it's better that way, as it can be 'our little secret'. Will definitely look out for him again. The man is comedy platinum (as well as being very cute!)

Angie W, August 2006

Saw Tom in Edingurgh on Saturday, best act I saw all weekend!

Mark, August 2006

Saw him at Latitude festival last weekend. Started crying with laughter, then snotting, then just kind of swaying. Amazing.

Roland, July 2006

There is a mere handful of comics who could perform in an armchair. This is guy is one of them. He takes you on trip of the ordinary mundane ways of life and makes you aware of the absurdness of it all. All to great effect. Damn funny guy!

Jay Ryan, July 2006

I saw Tom in Greenfield, Oldham. Peter Kay has got nothing on this man - absolute genius

Vanessa O'Connor , June 2006

A great night of comedy at the Bullingdon in Oxford. Tom was excellent and I was proud to be one of the few women who didn't take offense at some of his stuff and queued up to buy his CD. To quote him direct "I don't trust anything I can't laugh at".

Samaire, June 2006

This was a great show.

David Shaw, March 2006

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