On Wednesday at the Fitzroy Tavern on Charlotte Street in Central London you’ll find London’s second-worst Comedy Club – The Pear Shaped Comedy Club. Here Maitre D’ Brian Damage and assistant Krysstal host a range of standups ranging from the unknown to the really quite famous and from the talented to, let’s be honest, the absolutely fucking awful.
Regardless of the polarity in ability it’s always a good night which is mysteriously and sometimes awkwardly stitched together by the middle-of-the-road tenor banjo stylings of Al Mandolino who, as Brian says has been “sittin’ in the corner workin’ it all out for eight years or so now – and we’re just startin’ to recognise a few”. Along with Al, Anthony Miller MCs with sporadic support from Jimbo who’s appearance, style and delivery suggest Norman Wisdom smacked off his tits.
Last Friday however, Brian and Krysstal ventured north to Bradford to play one the city’s best old boozers – The Beehive. The MC Gareth Unwin was nowhere near as funny as his Uncle Stanley but his material was obviously a family heirloom. The first act, Ray Kane and particularly his song “The Hoody Made Me Do It!” was brilliant but disturbing. Only disturbing to me because Ray looks exactly like my accountant. Hot on Ray’s heels was Tom Roche whose deadpan youthful angst schtick seemed dated. The character-based conspiracy theory of Rod Shepherd raised some good laughs but anyone who uses a projector as part of their act is going to get compared to Dave Gorman or even one of Steve Coogan’s early creations, Ernest Moss.
Oh, nearly forgot, Brian and Krysstal were superb as usual…
