list.co.uk/comedy Previews | COMEDY
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STAND-UP REGINALD D HUNTER SECC, Glasgow, Fri 12 Jun; Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh, Wed 5–Sun 30 Aug STAND-UP LUISA OMIELAN Òran Mór, Glasgow, Thu 2 Jul; Assembly George Square Theatre, Edinburgh, Thu 13–Sat 15 Aug
While there are many excellent comedians out there, you often wonder if some of them actually like doing what they do or whether it’s more of a compulsion. For Reginald D Hunter, the appeal of performing live comedy is multi-faceted. ‘I love stand-up. Every time something new works on stage, it’s definitely a great high. It’s really satisfying. And it makes me smarter. I spend a lot of time alone in hotels and airports, so when you’re locked away you do a lot of thinking and come back smarter.’ Londoner Luisa Omielan is a bit like the Greggs-loving, New Look-clad, stand- up comedy answer to Lena Dunham. She will definitely not be shamed for eating three courses (she’ll gladly shame restaurants that make patronising, gender-specific remarks on their menus, though: see Omielan’s Instagram for evidence), has zero tolerance for slut shaming, classism or girls trolling on other girls. And in times of self-doubt, she'll refer back to her mantra, ‘what would Beyoncé do?!’
Intelligent (if sometimes highly contentious) comedy has been the UK-based That was the title of her debut solo show, a smash hit of the 2012 Edinburgh
American’s calling card ever since he relocated here in the late 90s. Soon enough, popular and critical acclaim followed (as well as two nominations for the Perrier Award) and he’s now one of the most vibrant and exciting perfomers on the circuit. As he brings us a new show, The Man Who Attempted to Do as Much as Such, Hunter insists that he’s adopting a new mellower stance (though the title of his Fringe show in August, Bitchproof, suggests something altogether different). ‘It’s bad to be angry. Anger is very powerful, but it’s toxic. It’ll burn you out if you fly on it for too long. All your emotions are your children, so if you leave them in the basement, eventually they’re going to grow up and hate you.’ (Brian Donaldson)
Fringe, which led to five-star reviews, a world tour, an Australian Barry award nomination, and a spin-off book deal, signed earlier this year. The follow-up show, Am I Right Ladies?!, deals with issues always close to her push-up bra, including self-esteem, career dilemmas, relationship woes and Mariah Carey appreciation. If she experienced occasional diva wobbles during her last Edinburgh Fringe
run, have no fear: she appears to have returned to her tough-cookie default setting, and is back with bells on, plus Spanx and oversized hoop earrings, too. Endearing, ridiculous and smart, she brings brass-necked, balls-out wisdom to all who join her for one of her shows, or as she’s taken to calling them, ‘parties with jokes in’. (Claire Sawers)
PANEL SHOW I’M SORRY I HAVEN’T A CLUE Edinburgh Playhouse, Sun 9 Aug
‘In an age when what used to be called “bad language” is widely used to raise an easy laugh, I think it’s vitally important that innuendo is kept alive and kicking.’ On the idea that innuendo is a dying art, Graeme Garden, founder and regular offender on I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue, is matter of fact. ‘Good innuendo is clever and witty and just a great way to get an honest laugh.’ Although a key element of the Radio 4 panel show,
the use of double entendre has seen the team receive something of a slapped wrist on a couple of occasions, most recently last year when a listener got confused with the concept of Samantha. ‘The complaint was that Samantha is a humble assistant, sexually exploited by an all-male show,’ explains Garden. ‘In fact, Samantha is a) fictional, and b) almost always the instigator of her saucy exploits. Typically she is “looking forward to” or “can’t wait until” and so on.’
Garden and the rest of the ISIHAC team (Tim Brooke-
Taylor, Jack Dee, Barry Cryer and Jeremy Hardy) are bringing the show to the Edinburgh Playhouse for a one- night stand. Although it’s been running for 43 years, there are no signs of giving it a rest. Even if the team’s combined age is 332. ‘We’re like an old rock band now,’ says Barry Cryer. ‘ The audience who are our age will be dropping off, but we get students who say they grew up with us because their mum and dad used to listen.’ On why the self-styled ‘antidote to panel games’ has endured for so long, Cryer doesn’t hesitate. ‘The company. It’s telepathic; we know what each other is thinking and I hope that comes over. We really are having a genuinely good time.’ (Kirstyn Smith)
4 Jun–3 Sep 2015 THE LIST 67