6:48am Saturday 6th March 2010
SEAN Lock had been this way before, as he remembered at the start of a solo stand-up slot that ran for more than two hours. A little riff on York got him going, and then he was off for an often brilliant bout of observational comedy in which almost everything got a mention some way or other.
Lock’s act seemed much sharper than on his last appearance here in October 2007. It was as if all those TV panel games had given him a keener edge, honing things nicely (or sometimes nastily – but we didn’t mind that at all).
Last time round, he rambled a little while building towards a climax of inspired comedy madness. On this occasion, the pace was smoother, easier and still gathered to a breathless denouement of life-watching craziness.
On stage, smartly suited and wearing new glasses, Lock is more of a physical comedian than he appears on TV, doing little boom-boom bursts of foot shuffles and tapping to bolster his gags. And what delightfully cutting gags they are too: snatches of life stories – mystery shopping in Lidl, squashed raisins on car seats, wheat intolerance, Ten Years Younger and why is it that only chefs can get away with swearing on television – that accumulate into a frenzied delight.
Different this time – apart from the hidden green superhero costume – was Lockipedia, in which Sean called out seat numbers and got audience members to suggest a topic for a joke from his book of gags. What an interesting, mildly potty and enjoyably dangerous notion.
The man had me in tears by the end of the night. Thanks for that, Sean.
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