Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Loads of laughter and even a good row!
Word is clearly spreading about Live at the Marlowe.
The Canterbury theatre’s stand-up night started last July to a warm welcome from the county’s comedy fans. When it returned on Friday, the response was positively red-hot – with almost all 1,200 seats filled.
The atmosphere is electric, with the crowd in good spirits – and probably clutching one in their hand with tonic and lime. You won’t see a longer bar queue than at the comedy night. The audience is clearly there to have a good time. Headlining the show was seasoned stand-up Mark Watson.
It was an apprehensive appearance for the Mock The Week star, who told of his aversion to performing in Kent after a disastrous set in Maidstone about 10 years ago, when the crowd shouted “off, off, off!” within minutes of him taking to the stage.
Luckily, the Marlowe audience was much more receptive.
Watson’s demeanour was frantic and chaotic, but that may have had more to do with the fact his warm-up acts overran, potentially making him late for the last train back to London.
Support was provided by multiaward-winning comic Simon Munnery.
Laughs were fewer and further between than during his counterparts’ sets, but when a joke worked well, he arguably provoked the loudest giggles.
Hilarious welshman Elis James, star of BBC Two’s Josh, kept the audience amused with anecdotes about family life, including an unfortunate incident when bathing his baby daughter.
And even he was surprised by the size of the crowd, remarking on the rarity of packing out a comedy show in London, let alone Kent.
The show-stealer was compere Tom Allen, a familiar face from BBC One’s Live At The Apollo.
He built an immediate rapport with the audience with his brash, camp delivery and razor sharp retorts to anyone brave enough to heckle.
He mercilessly mocked the people of Kent – which, as a Bromley man, we’ll let him get away with. And to be fair, we provided rich pickings for him. It’s not often two audience members – one from Ramsgate, the other from Dymchurch – have a loud argument mid-show, because one was taking too long to find their seat.
You may have enjoyed a panto or theatre show at the Marlowe, but the atmosphere is something else at the comedy night.
Book early when Live At The Marlowe rolls around again in July – it’s set to be a sell-out.
Lowri Stafford