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Review

The Aristrocrats was a film in which one not-very-good joke was told at length by several tens of comedians over 89 minutes.

In this show, Alfred Williams tells one shaggy dog story with no punchline for 60 minutes. The show might possibly be better in a bar than in a performance space and Alfred talks so fast many of his jokes could pass you by. But, if you like an interesting journey with a man fascinated by random facts and ideas, this will amuse you.

But if you want a show with a point or climax, you will not be satisfied.

Alfred is a very presentable, clean-cut storyteller with a philosophy that a groan is as good as a laugh, with gags such as: 'He got into an old four-poster bed. Three of the posters were of Nell Gwynn, which tells you how old it was', or 'He sat in a corner nursing his pint. It had just had flu.'

There is a danger of pun exhaustion. It's impressive that he can sustain it, but it's inconsequential.

John Fleming