I went to see Simon Munnery's AGM this afternoon. He is a fantastic, uber intelligent comedian and you must go and see him if you can. Unless you are thick. In which case you won't get it and he will annoy you.
Actually I don't think that's true, before anyone from any movement for the unintelligent emails in to complain.
It's a very relaxed and improvised show. At one point Munnery voiced frustration at the stupid nature of his job and wondered why he had to do the show on stage with a microphone and so went and sat in the audience instead.
Later on, whilst reading out audience motions he was wondering if it was true that hairdressers all had bad hairstyles as the contributor had suggested. "Let's find out," he said, "Are there any hairdressers in the audience?"
I laughed loudly at this, as any hairdresser who was there would have to be brave to put themselves forwards and have their own hairstyle assessed. I was though the only person to be struck by this (or at least to find it amusing) and my solo chortle drew the comedian's attention.
"Are you a hairdresser?" he asked me.
"No, I'm not," I giggled, slightly self-consciously. Simon is a friend of mine and he had as yet not realised that it was me who had interrupted his show with laughter (how inconsiderate of a comedy audience member to do this. I'd like to say that everyone else had been too polite to make a similar mistake in the previous hour, but that would be untrue).
Quickly he realised it was me, but decided to push on with the participation. "You've got quite long hair though, haven't you?"
"Yes, I have, " I said.
There was a slight pause.
"That's what you wanted was it?"
"Yeah, I suppose. Or I would have got them to cut more off...."
"Yes..."
The conversation continued for a couple more exchanges without anything in the slightest way amusing emanating from either of our mouths.
We'd gone down a comedy cul de sac and Munnery sensibly bailed out (a little too late in my opinion). "Comedy gold!" I whispered to my friend Phil, sarcastically, referring as much to myself as to Simon.
"What was that?" asked Munnery, not having learned that he should leave it for everyone else's sake.
"Nothing," I lied and at last Munnery moved on.
You would think that two of the most experienced comedy performers on the Fringe could have riffed more amusingly than this, but it clearly wasn't happening. Perhaps we were both waiting for the other to be amusing, or maybe we were on the verge of forming the world's first double act with two straight men (OK, well not the first).
When I wasn't part of the show Munnery was very funny indeed. He's claiming he's going to have an AGM every Fringe for the next 5 years. So make a note in your diary and come to them all.
