This evening's comedy show had the inspired "Ronseal" {It does exactly what it says on the tin} title of 'Comedy at 53Two'! It was the first of hopefully many more comedy nights at Manchester's wonderful fringe venue, and if this was a taster of what to expect, they are going to be brilliant!
Four comedians took to the stage this evening, the first being the show's host and MC, Dom Woodward. It should have been, we learnt, Big Lou, but due to an unforeseen and comical (although surely not for Lou!) medical problem, he had to give backword.
Woodward also came from the Ronseal school of performing. There were no pretentions, nothing extraneous or out-of-place; he simply stood on stage and chatted to us as if we were his best friends, completely at ease. A natural manner, pleasing and personable, he knew how to hold his audience and who to chat to. His jokes ranged from simple rapport banter, to his being an actor and attending Salford University, cold-callers, and baldness. I would like to see him perform a full set himself next time.
Woodward also came from the Ronseal school of performing. There were no pretentions, nothing extraneous or out-of-place; he simply stood on stage and chatted to us as if we were his best friends, completely at ease. A natural manner, pleasing and personable, he knew how to hold his audience and who to chat to. His jokes ranged from simple rapport banter, to his being an actor and attending Salford University, cold-callers, and baldness. I would like to see him perform a full set himself next time.
Next was local lass, Nina Gilligan. After a rather abrasive start (perhaps due to nerves, perhaps due to this being her second gig of the day having come straight from a Working Men's Club!), she soon settled in, and her set was very funny - perhaps more so though for women than men due to the content of her material. She took us through the problems women face when going through "the change" with frankness and good humour. There was perhaps a little too much unnecessary swearing for my liking, but her relaxed and easy manner was highly entertaining and her comedy well observed.
After a short comfort break, we came back to Dan Tiernan, our next comedian. This self-confessed gay and dyspraxic young man's routine consisted mainly, yes you've guessed it, about being gay and dyspraxic! However, the way in which he tackled both of these subjects and had us almost weeing ourselves with laughter was delightful. His notebook visual joke was the icing on the cake!
Again, another comfort break before the headline act of the evening; comedian Daliso Chaponda. Chaponda is a well-known TV personality, which, as he even jokes himself, only happened because of the #BLM movement. TV producers needed personable, chatty, and funny black people all of a sudden, and his phone never stopped ringing. Half-joking, he now says he is hoping for a middle-aged middle-class well-known white male role-model to make a racist comment so that he can start making some more money again! Chaponda's set this evening was manic and shouty, but also extremely funny. He talked about being Malawian, and going to school learning British history and speaking English; he talked about lockdown, religion, and, in a more serious moment, how we all needed a little more doubt and self-doubt in our lives.
A thoroughly entertaining evening, showcasing both local up-coming, and established talent in the same evening! What more could you ask for? Roll on April 24th, when 53Two will be hosting their second comedy night.
Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 13/3/22
Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 13/3/22
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