Saw Dylan Moran (introduced on the PA as ‘Dylan Moron’) at Hammersmith Apollo on Friday. I saw his Monster show a few years ago and it was very funny but, I am sad to report, this outing was pretty lame. Two 45-minute sets of semi-coherent rambling with the occasional good gag thrown in does not an enjoyable night make. And the 30-minute break between halves so the venue could cash in at the bar was taking the piss.
Moran is always a laconic comic and that’s his schtick but I got the impression he wasn’t in the mood and this was a shame as a few thousand people paying £25 per ticket should have provided some incentive to put on a more polished show.
Mark Thomas the week before was playing a much smaller venue at Soho Theatre but still managed to be more slick and engaging – and he was talking about the bloody arms trade!
But I suppose even comedy veterans like Moran sometimes do a duff gig and, as my DVDs of Black Books continue to make me laugh well into the fifth showing, he can probably be forgiven.
Fortunately the new series of Extras also started last week and was superb so I felt I’d had my quota of good comedy entertainment for the week.
The second outing of the Ricky Gervais and Steve Merchant comedy sees supporting artist Andy Millman have the chance to star in his own comedy series – and the first show saw his initial optimism whittled down as the integrity-filled TV he envisaged creating turned into a cliche-filled abomination.
Gervais as Millman is always on the money and Merchant as his idiotic agent is similarly good. Ashley Jenson, though, still steals the show as Millman’s faux-pas-prone pal Maggie Jacobs and I love the fact that Shaun Williamson is still around as he’s one the funniest things in it.
Christ, I may even stay in on Thursday nights now…
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