Simon Bligh and Kevin Shepherd
Sunday 29th May 2007
Comedy Cavern, Moles Club, Bath
Shaun Brill went to see the show...
Kevin Shepherd
Deep in the heart of Bath, the underground setting of the Comedy Cavern provides some enjoyable if not intimate comedy offerings. Tonight the cavern played host to Laughing Horse New Act Of The Year finalist Kevin Shepherd and Time Out Comedy Award nominee Simon Bligh, two comedians that didn't disappoint the willing crowd.
Up first was Kevin Shepherd, who wasted no time in diving into some audience interaction. Sitting comfortably at the back I was out of the firing line, but the packed out venue left many in the wake of the Bognor Regis born comic. Not afraid to cross the boundaries of political-correctness, Shepherd made good use of a diverse crowd to deliver some superb lines. Safe in the above eighteen venue, a large part of the act's humour came from sex, and Shepherd wasn't scared to delve into the perverse to get a laugh. Being a father of two young children, his act also probed the world of the family man from conception to birth, not forgetting the wife in between and proved an impressive start to the evening.
Support for the evening came in the form of Sarah Young and Luke McQueen, two younger performers each with their own unique take on stand-up. Luke's energetic brand of younger comedy (including but not limited to: nightclub toilet staff, anti-terror police and 'The Final Countdown') was eagerly devoured by a mainly student crowd, while Sarah Young's set was a fantastic mixture of observations and brilliantly sung songs. Her finale, a clever musical rant about the politeness of the British, had me wondering whether singing, not stand-up had been her first career choice.
With the crowd suitably warmed-up, the Cavern unleashed the big-gun; Simon Bligh. Equipped with a style that mixes manic story-telling with the conversational style of a good mate, it's hard not to be sucked in by his charm. Delivering jokes spanning Catholic P.E classes to gimp suits, this was a routine that was hard to find something unfunny, and provided the most universal humour of the night. Again a family man, Bligh, unlike Shepherd, chose to focus on the things his family put up with from him (like reading bedtime stories to his daughter in a Dalek voice if you need an example), rather than rants about family-life itself. Don't be fooled that this act has no rants however, as Bligh's attacks on 'morning people', observations on the male toilet ritual and the cult of the radio alarm's 'Snooze' button, suitably fill the gaps between his larger jokes. While his jokes can be somewhat (okay, very) crude, Bligh's energy and spot-on delivery make his a set that truly deserves its place as the finale.
Simon Bligh
Both employing family-focussed comedy for a substantial part of their act; it's hard not to draw comparisons between the two headliners. While the student-esque dwellings of the Comedy Cavern may seem closer to the demographic of Shepherd's humour, it was Bligh that ultimately came out the most enjoyable and memorable. His consistent style and polished act ensured that every joke was sent home with a belly laugh. Both acts impressed however and the audience of the Cavern certainly left suitably entertained. A solid night of great comedy.
For more information on Kevin Shepherd, including tour dates, see his page here on Ents24.
For more information on Simon Bligh, including tour dates, see his page here on Ents24.
This review was submitted as part of Ents24's Student Writing Competition at Bath Spa University, designed to provide Creative Writing students with experience of writing reviews and valuable help in getting their work published.
