There was a full house for this year's final at the Leicester Square Theatre, a mix of mates of the acts, winter tourists avoiding the storm and comedy fans. As compere Amy Gledhill pointed out at the start with a comedic sigh, there were fourteen acts in the final so strap in. On the plus side, she aded, they are all brilliant. And she was not far wrong.
First up was Abbie Edwards, who has apparently entered before but this was her first final. And she quickly hit her stride, laying out her stall as a high energy geek, who lost her virginity well into her twenties, for reasons which she explained with considerable style. For someone so dweebish there was no shortage of confidence. It's tough going first, even when a compere as skilful as Gledhill has fluffed up the crowd, but Edwards definitely left her mark, picking up a deserved third place from the judges (including me).
Tevin Everett was a different kettle of fish but an equally tasty one, an aussured young American with a hint of cool about him which gave him a Reg Hunter-adjacent vibe. His material ranged from relationships to his father's dementia. There was a lot to get in but he delivered it with an easy charm and could've been placed on another night. Definitely a name to watch.
Monica Hsueh opened by joking about her mix of nationalities before settling on the fact that she was Taiwanese and getting some good value laughs out of people who mistake Taiwan for Thailand. She was a curious mix of bravado and self-deprecation, who certainly found the humour in being 5 foot 9 inches – positively towering for an oriental female. Or male.
Lianna Holston confused me at first. I couldn't decide whether she was wearing a pink and white onsesie purely for comic effect or for a bet or whether that was her natural style. It slightly distracted me from what turned out to be a clever, idiosyncratic set. What she lacked in punchlines she more than made up for with engaging anecdotes and observations and scooped second prize.
John Pape had certainly put a lot of thought into his outfit, black clad and satanic which his hair brushed into a Hammer Horror pointy peak. This immediately made an impact as he explained how he had lost his job as a continuity announcer for a Christian Radio Station - repeating the name of the station and doing a little act out each time added to the fun. Not the most subtle of acts but certainly entertaining. And different. And he certainly has a voice for radio.
There was clearly plenty of variety in this final. Irish comedian Rob Moriarty was probably the first act who you would describe and a conventional cookie cutter stand-up and even he had a quirkiness about him that suggests there is potential here. His laid back style meant that he didn't make much impact coming straight after a high impact act like Pape, but that's the luck – or lack of it – of the draw.
Midlander Eli Hart was also relatvely conventional with his gently nihilistic worldview. He sold his bleak cynical outlook well though. Imagine a Brummie, even gloomier young Jack Dee, stance-wise if not looks-wise.
Review continues here.
