www

www.one4review.co.uk

Non Fringe 2009

Wicked Wenches - 03-11-2009

It has been quite a while since I have been able to attend The Stand Comedy Club’s all female act night, Wicked Wenches, due to a number of reasons but I managed to get there yesterday and I am certainly glad I didn’t miss this gig.

There have been a few questions and comments made over recent months over the lack of, or quality of, female comedians around. This is something we at one4review cannot agree with, we never have, as we feel gender is of no issue. If someone is funny, they are funny. But if anyone needed any proof that women are equally a good as men then perhaps they should have attended this gig.

Compere for the night was Stand favourite and Wicked Wenches stalwart Susan Calman. Susan may be small in stature, but she makes up for this with her stage presence and her material. As all good comperes, Susan is straight in there doing the warm up of the audience, chatting, joshing, and ‘identifying targets’ getting everyone ready for the evening’s fare.

The opening act on the night was Diane Morgan. It had been a couple of years since I had last seen her, when she was part of the AAA Comedy show during Fringe 2007. At that time I thought she undersold herself by not looking very happy in her set. Okay, she is not the most smiley comedian, but at least now she does treat the audience with the odd smile and this together with some well crafted and funny material really made her set most enjoyable. Often self deprecating in her style, Diane spoke about negative attitudes, school, builders, ex-boyfriends and living alone amongst other topics in her all too brief set.

Following the first interval Ms Calman remerged to introduce Jay Lafferty to those of the audience who didn’t know her. Jay has impressed me every time I have seen her perform and this was yet another quality performance. I feel she should be a major star in the very near future. Her material, occasionally slightly dark, is bitingly funny, she has stage presence to spare and a easy delivery style. Some of her stuff I had heard before but quality material is always worth more than one airing I always think.

Closing act of part two was another Wicket Wenches regular award winning author and no mean comedian too, Alison Kennedy. I have seen her perform loads of times and two things are usually constant. Her level of performance is always excellent and the set is always brand new. She must be one of the most prolific writers around and this together with her style, again often self-deprecating, certainly won her some new fans judging by the reception she received.

Following the second interval and the prize draw, headline act Lucy Porter proceeded to wow the audience for the entirety of her set, as always. Lucy, now often seen on TV, is one of these comedians I cannot imagine anyone not liking. Both Sheila and I have been avid fans of her for years now, and never fail to enjoy her performances. Bubbly and bright as always, the now engaged Ms Porter, Justin you lucky chap, spoke a bit about her impending nuptials, work travel, tele-banking and her tour de force of finding interesting publications that are a comedy source for her as no one else can. Lucy had the audience in the palm of her hand throughout and no one wanted to her to finish, but I’m afraid all good things do come to an end.

With another line-up of stellar proportions planned for 1 December Wicked Wenches is a definite in my diary, and of course it’s not just that gig. Oh no, I have several visits planned before then too. To find out what is available check out www.thestand.co.uk for the full programme.