Review by Julian Hall

It’s a pleasant experience to be able to see Lloyd Langford a few years on from being one crowned Chortle’s student comedy award winner. There’s no doubt that he has grown-up to be a really competent comic.

The young Welshman, now 26, may not choose to be over-ingratiating towards his audience, as some young comics do, but his steady, matter-of-fact pace soon wins them over. Anyone wondering about their ten pound or so gamble in the lottery of Edinburgh acts was soon assured that they were in safe hands.

Safe and steady are, of course, back-handed compliments in comedy. While Langford has some definite killer lines here and there, and a pleasing eye for detail, whether it be a drug-fuelled amble around a Blackpool nightclub or a deliberating on the class distinctions of litter-dropping, the lack of emotional variety in his set is to its detriment.

There’s common ground with comics like Jon Richardson in terms of getting annoyed at the discourtesy of others. Unfortunately the passion behind the convictions is lacking and the comedy that could be gained from attempting to redress the balance of these ‘crimes’ goes undiscovered.

Despite this there are some lovely flourishes within this show and his club sets have been nicely embroidered in. At one point during it Langford quotes the phrase: ‘empty vessels make the most noise’ and that may also be the best defence of his understated style.

Review date: 12 Aug 2009
Reviewed by: Julian Hall