Famous and successful, but comic still delivers

Micky Flanagan: An’ Another Fing, Motorpoint Arena Cardiff

Cheeky Cockney Micky Flanagan is packing out arenas across the country three years after his last stand-up brought him Back in the Game.

Amazingly it’s been seven years since his Out Out Tour catapulted him into the minds of the comedy-loving public. Through endless repeats on Comedy Central or Channel 4, it has introduced a whole raft of people to his type of comedy and the phrase “out out” – meaning you’re not just out for one or two pints, but a proper all-nighter with dancing and the like – has entered general conversation.

His observational skills, of both the nostalgic type (most too rude to discuss here) and the universal oddities of life (are you a peeper or a peep-ee?), are second to none. This new tour continues such skill and like other shows contains much material at the expense of his home life – he must have a very understanding wife – and his newer, more cash-ready lifestyle.

To his credit, he thoroughly admits that he’s no longer a member of the authentic working classes thanks to his fame and success. But he asks you to dispel that so he can continue to make us laugh with his real-life observations.

The first section of the show was dedicated to this explanation, and, where there were some funny bits, it didn’t really need explanation.

The second part of the show flowed much better, his anecdotes and delivery of them are brilliant. I’ve never felt someone describe the hopeless feeling of being on a camping holiday so accurately and his takedown of the TV show Eat Well For Less had me nodding in agreement, when I wasn’t doubled over with laughter at his impression of Gregg Wallace.

The cherry on the cake was his account of accompanying his dad on a Saga holiday to Tenerife. To sell-out four nights at the Motorpoint Arena is an incredible achievement and shows that Micky’s fans don’t care if he’s got an extra bob or two, just that he’s got the goods. And he definitely does.

An’ Another Fing continues tonight and tomorrow. Ring the Motorpoint Arena for returns on 029 2022 4488.

Kathryn Williams