Review – Screaming Blue Murder, Underground at the Derngate, Northampton, 26th October 2018

Screaming Blue MurderHurrah for another Screaming Blue Murder, and another episode in the continuing mystery saga, Would Dan Evans Get There On Time? Answer: No. This time there was a crash on the M1 which put a 25 minute delay onto his journey. I’m beginning to think The Gods of Comedy have got it in for him. And perhaps they have. Every so often you get a really weird Screaming Blue Murder; something about the dynamic in the audience that just doesn’t gel. This was one of those weeks. Firstly, they’d changed the staging so that it looked really showbiz. Black curtains in front of a lit-up, shimmering red curtain, to create a very glamorous effect. Not the usual cellar where the bodies are kept look that we’re accustomed to. Dan did his usual let’s meet the front row routine, and got on well with the ladies from the Danes Camp gym, and then he moved on to another couple (no names)… and that’s where it all got a bit difficult.

Dan EvansIt’s a bit bizarre to have to review the audience rather than the show, but to make sense of the evening, this particular Screaming Blue needs it. So, back to this couple; to be fair, he was fine. A cheery paper salesman whose answer to the problem of the diminishing need to buy paper because of the Internet was to “sell more paper”. Absolutely. She, however… I’m sure she’s a lovely person but she came across as a cross between Rosa Klebb and Lord Snooty. She sells people (her words) and lives in an “undisclosed location” and clearly looks down on Northampton. Normally the audience is quite happy to go along with the usual “What’s Northampton like?” “It’s sh*t” routine, but this time – no. “If you hate it, why don’t you leave then?” came an unexpected bellowing voice from behind. An audience silently quivered, not knowing where this was going. Dan continued with as much jollity as possible, but it wasn’t long before the voice came back with “Get her a lead”, which really was a bit much. If anyone had shouted that out about Mrs Chrisparkle, I would have stood up and demanded satisfaction with a duel in the car park. Instead, Dan turned to a couple of guys in the corner and tried to spark off them but they were as sullen as hell.

Luke ToulsonFirst up was Luke Toulson, who came on thanking Dan for putting us all at our ease and making his life easy! We’ve seen Mr Toulson twice before and he’s always good value. He’s done some of the material about collecting the kids from school before, but we loved his pretentious critiques of school plays, and the urge guys get to propose the higher from the ground they are. He ended with a great sequence about the one hour slot to deliver your sperm sample for testing and a great play on words about a medic’s wages. He was just what we needed to set the evening back on course.

Caroline MabeyNext was Caroline Mabey; we’ve also seen her before and, last time, frankly, she wasn’t very good. This time, well… she’s gutsy and has some good material but I still think she’s trying to be someone on stage that she isn’t. She reminded me very much of a younger Helen Lederer, with an act crammed full of self-deprecation; trouble is she doesn’t really get us on her side at the start of her act, so we end up just being onlookers rather than participators. I can see how it all would work perfectly on paper, but on stage it just doesn’t quite hold together. Mind you, the weird vibe of the evening certainly didn’t help.

Michael FabbriWhat the night needed was for the last act to bounce out, stamp their authority on us, and not let up until the final joke – and that’s exactly what Michael Fabbri did. We’ve never seen Mr Fabbri before and it’s been our loss. He uses his material and sharp delivery to take control without ever being aggressive or too laddish like some comics. There’s a fantastic sequence about spending the night in someone else’s hotel room, but his set was full of sideways looks at life and what I can only describe as inventive moments of ridiculousness. He was great, we’d love to see him again.

There are two more Screaming Blue Murders this year – hopefully they’ll run a little more smoothly than this one did. Alas, we are unable to attend either of them, so I hope you’ll go on our behalf.

Review – Screaming Blue Murder, Underground at the Derngate, 3rd May 2013

Screaming Blue MurderContinuing the success of the rest of the season, last Friday’s Screaming Blue Murder had yet again a full house to watch yet again three top acts who yet again we had seen before, but yet again it didn’t matter as they were on terrific form – yet again.

Dan EvansOur compere was Dan Evans, lively and engaging as ever, and coping effortlessly well with what turned out to be a front two rows teeming with police. I think he shocked himself with the directness of one jibe to a lady in the front row – which she seemed perfectly happy with – so that he spent the rest of the evening apologising to her. That in itself was extremely entertaining!

Luke ToulsonOur first act was Luke Toulson, who we enjoyed very much a couple of years ago. I think a lot of his material was the same but he delivers it with such confident amiability that virtually every line is a winner. Looking back on the evening, all the best lines and comedy sequences belonged to him – playing at shops in a rather cynical way with his daughter; how the birth of UKIP might have taken place; taking hide and seek a little too seriously and discussions with other parents at the school gates; these had everyone uncontrollable with mirth. He could have carried on the whole night.

Sally Anne HaywardSecond was Sally Anne Hayward, who we saw about three years ago; again a very funny act with sometimes toe-clenchingly awkward material about desperate sex and self-image issues, delivered at a perfect pace. There’s something about her self-deprecating persona that really helps you identify yourself with her. Great stuff.

Noel JamesLastly we had Noel James, who also appeared the last time Sally Anne Hayward appeared… coincidence, I wonder? Noel James is laugh out loud funny from start to finish, his speciality being a penchant for the pun, which I guess sometimes might not work but here he went down a storm. Delightfully silly without being unbelievable, impeccable comic timing and hugely confident.

Just one more show in this season, which has got to have been the most successful run of comedy nights here in the four years we’ve been attending. Don’t miss it!

Review – Screaming Blue Murder, Derngate, Northampton, April 1st 2011

Top quality acts for last Friday’s Screaming Blue Murder, I’m delighted to say. Dan was the compere again, and got good mileage out of the audience, who this week featured two large contingents from a Perfume factory and Travis Perkins Builders Merchants.

Luke ToulsonThe first act was Luke Toulson. Likeable, slightly aloof, nicely self-deprecating; he worked fantastically well with the Perfume factory people – especially referring to the boss’s wife as Camilla. I felt as though he held something of himself back – but it didn’t matter because his material was good enough anyway.

Juliet MeyersSecond was Juliet Meyers, who handled jokes about sex and religion with deft ease, and who went down extremely well with the audience. After her second joke, she’d offended the French, the Scots and used the C word. Twice. That’s some trick.

Rob HeeneyLast was Rob Heeney, who was definitely the best of the night for me; very engaging personality, had a wide range of excellent material, didn’t seem to want to leave and I didn’t want him to either. I’d go out of my way to see him again. Great stuff about sex for the over 40s!

No hecklers this week, which actually made a nice change!