SG2014 Review: Andrew Doyle: Zero Tolerance

Venue (12): The Stand Comedy Club

Category: Comedy
Times: 9:20pm
Dates: Aug 12-24
Stars: ****
Reviewed by RM Ballantyne

Andrew Doyle takes the term “fast talker” to a whole new level as he suddenly appears on stage and starts his set at Usain Bolt pace. So fast is his delivery you have to tune in immediately to keep up with what he’s saying. But it’s worth it. He’s got to be one the most intelligent comedians on the circuit at the moment, or perhaps one of the comedians with the most intelligent sets.

He gets you thinking, as well as laughing, as he regales us with not just tales but also questions about homophobia, racism, and er …toasters. More on them later.
He doesnt like bad grammar, royalty and quite few other things besides, but hes determined to be open-minded and his ironic search for an anti-gay role model leads us into hilarious territory. The Gambian president, the Apple logo and Jeremy Irons also pop up.
He’s also good on relationships, bantering with the crowd, and helping us to understand “romantic constructs” with a suitably baffling diagram on the flip chart. There’s many a tangential journey – hence the toasters – but his central focus is on his broken heart and the culprit Steven. Less interesting is his gory revenge fantasy.
Unlike Bolt, who races in a straight line, Doyle roams over a wide territory but he somehow loops it all together with a sly ending.
This a smart and compelling show that will leave you with all parts of your brain stimulated.

SG2014 Review: Mitch Benn: Don’t Believe a word

Venue (12): The Stand Comedy Club

Category: Comedy
Times: 7:00pm
Dates: Jul 31, Aug 1-24, not 10,11,17
Stars: ***
Reviewed by Tony Challis

Mitch Benn has the audience with him from his opening song. Here is a cheerful unbeliever celebrating the many ways of knowing the world. He tells us he is a sceptic that is he only believes that which can be shown to be so to the satisfaction of his senses.
He exemplifies this through songs some of which people may have heard on radio, but which are worth hearing again and are that much fresher live. He is not happy simply to call himself an atheist, but calls himself an agnostic atheist. He produced a chart to show the many possible positions that believers and non-believers might hold, but sadly this was not visible equally in all areas and a screen may have been much more effective.
I broadly agree with his position, and I found myself wondering how some of my more religious friends would respond if I defined my lack of belief in the terms Mitch uses here. I can see them looking rather mystified, and maybe dropping their jaws, and that may be no bad thing. Perhaps they might be drawn into the embrace of agnostic atheism who knows? But as Mitch suggests, it is not a matter of converting people, but of enjoying the world as it is, and being seen to enjoy that.
Anyone going along to this hour of stimulating, thought-provoking enjoyment will likely leave agreeing with that, and they will certainly have had both many laughs and many fresh ideas.