Wow! What a night! These
Sunday night gigs at the Lyric Hammersmith are really proving to be something special. Tonight's show had sold out weeks ago, which is not surprising given the line-up included Phill Jupitus and Harry Hill. But I was also very pleased to be bringing some newer comics to the stage. First up was Matthew Crosby,
one of the team who brought us my Edinburgh favourite show, Pappy's Fun Club. I have really enjoyed watching his sets over the last three years, when I have been on bills with him a few times and it was gratifying to see him having an absolute blinder. Things backstage were almost as funny as at this point Harry Hill was putting together a contraption made up of those old style car horns with the black bulbs on the end that you squeeze to make them honk. It would later be put to hilarious effect in the finale to Harry's act where he played an eclectic mix of tunes including the national anthem, the White Stripes, Eastenders and the Animal Hospital theme tune. But seeing it being constructed by one of this country's finest comics was almost as entertaining.
Things were further complicated backstage by the BBC film crew who were here to document the second gig of Elliot Gleave aka Example. It was quite a contrast with the small room above a pub that he had played last Tuesday with over ten times as many people in the crowd. Example was excited and looking forward to it.
I am making an attempt not to repeat any material during this run of four shows, which was already a struggle as I have used up pretty much all my one liners, but I attempted to adlib my way through a few ideas with varying degrees of success. I wasn't totally happy with my contribution, but with the calibre of acts it didn't really matter. Phill Jupitus closed the first half telling some funny stories about the effects of fame and reading a couple of his new poems. He took his time, not afraid to pause or talk seriously for a while and his control over the room was incredibly impressive.
Elliot also had a great night, even more amazing when one considered that this was only his second comedy gig and given the calibre of the other comedians it was astounding that he held his own. I felt very proud of him, although none of it was really down to me. I described myself as his mentor - the Mike Batt to his Katie Melua, although I added, I didn't dress up as a Womble and make him suck me off.
But a great night was rounded off in staggering style by Harry Hill, who was a delight from the moment he came on stage bouncing on a giant deflating space hopper, precariously flying around on the raked staging that was behind us (it's the set of the play that's on during the week) to the finale of his crazy horn concerto - the kind of thing, as Matthew Crosby observed would have been an act in itself on a Royal Variety Performance in the 1980s.
It was a real buzz to have put all this together and to see everyone going home very happy - both the acts and the audience. There are still two more to go, so I hope you can make them, because the upcoming bills are just as impressive and it should be fun seeing me try to struggle to get through without using any of the stuff I've got through already.
