Show Details
Sue Perkins: The Disappointing Second Show
Show type: Edinburgh Fringe 2006
Starring Comic:
Sue Perkins

Sue Perkins: The Disappointing Second Show


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Description

Disappointment is Sue's middle name. Her mum had preferred Elizabeth, but was overruled by her dad, who had an altogether darker view of life.

Ever had a dog that you loved? Did that dog die? Do you sometimes feel responsible for its death? Do you lie awake sometimes, in the chill of the night, thinking that there was more you could have done?

If so, this show is not for you. I want laughers, not people sitting with their arms folded grieving about an animal they may or may not have had a hand in killing.

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Reviews

Original Review:

Show Rating:Sue Perkins: The Disappointing Second Show rated 2/5

In some, but not all, of the publicity for this hour, it is titled The Disappointing Second Show. Well, at least that should get trading standards off her back; for Sue Perkins' return to Edinburgh is a weary, lacklustre affair.

She's been touring for most of the 11 months since she was last here, and that informs her material: from poor-quality regional tourists attractions to local DJs she endured en route. But the sarcastic observations she makes are so inconsequential as to be barely worth mentioning.

This is very underwritten stand-up, as if the first thing that pops into her head is the be all and end all of a topic, without any need to delve deeper. Isn't the Surveillance bit of the Mirror's 3am Girls' column trivial? Isn't government advice on bird flu stupid? Isn't the Microsoft paper clip annoying? Isn't highlighting the bleeding obvious utterly pointless?

Some gags are hugely dated, too. Spare us another comic who hilariously misinterprets the 'slow children' sign, or who astutely observes that cloning Dolly the sheep ­ which happened ten years ago, by the way ­ was a waste of time as sheep all look the same anyway.

It seems such a waste, as Perkins is an obviously intelligent woman, self-deprecating and charming on stage, with a nice turn of phrase. But all that is squandered on some of the most pedestrian material around.

There's a good routine on being told during her Catholic education that the Pope cannot err, leading on to patron saints of obscure causes; but for every good minute, there's five poor ones. The segment on coming out to her parents, for example, is the most blandly impersonal treatment of a personal subject you will find.

From all this lightweight dross, Perkins manages to pull out a wonderful, quietly moving, conclusion totally out of kilter with the rest of the show, relying on the most touching and unexpected deployment of the comic callback technique you could hope for. How something so beautiful can top off something so bland is a mystery.

Steve Bennett

 
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Comments

Saw Sue's show at Devizes yesterday 13/06/07. Where? I here you ask. I think Sue felt the same way and did her best to rouse a distinctly 'Middle England' audience. Her quick-fire urban based humour fell on deaf ears at times but a thoroughly enjoyable and for us out in the sticks, rare treat!

Simon, June 2007

Sue was amazing in Cambridge - lots of adlibs, lots of comments which still make me laugh in a slightly embarassing fashion if I'm on my own. The review for this show bears no resemblance to the great witty pacy show I saw - excellent all round.

Kirsty, June 2007

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