COMEDY REVIEW * *
DAN FREEDMAN
Presumably the crap Mexican comedian is supposed to be so escruciatingly bad that you're actually going to appreciate his alter-ego vvlien he re-appears ininus tlte old dog-blanket and comedy moustache. And it vvorks. For abottt tvvo minutes.
The most irritating thing about Dan l-i'eednian is that lte has a totally undeserved air of arrogance about him. He simply is ttot as good as he very obviously thinks he is.
He has his moments. the ubiquitous .\’-/"/'/('v attd Blur/( )asis tokes vvere tolerable. if hardly original. but these vv ere the only highlights iii an otliervs tse tedious hour. ((‘atlierine Pound)
I Dan Freedman (l'l'lllgc) The l’leasance (Venue 33) 550 (i550. tiiitil Aug 3| (not i3. 27) 8pm. £8.5(i/L‘8 (£7.S()/£7).
Dan Freedman: not as good as he thinks he is
**
N0 SEX PLEASE! I’M COOKING A CURRY
The universal stand-up themes of the l‘ringe are beginning to emerge. We've got: the Olympics — vveren't Britaiti crap'.’. bacteria discovered on Mars — is this scary'.’ atid for the particularly sick. l\’l()llilllililt.‘(l Ali — he's looking a bit shaky!
All three were part of the uninspired fare at Nu Set I’lt'ust'.’ I'm (Wok/Jig A C'iu'ri‘. the latter frotn support act |.ehino vvlio
better off Willi either of
I No Sex Please! I’m Cooking A Curry (Fringe) .leff Mir/.a. Marco's (Venue ()8) 228 ()l to. until 3| Aug. 9pm. £5 (£4).
had the teinerity to upstage main man Jeff Mirza.
It's not about sex and it's not about curry. and though there are laughs to be had. frankly you'd be
the above. (Stephen Naysniith)
Jett Mina: no sex. no curry and not a lot at laughs
***
DAVE GORMAN
In ltis M (V S cardies (tvvo of them) and material covering Cliff Richard atid l)ef l.eppard. (iortnan is never goitig to be the Mr C'ool of comedy. inore heir apparent to Jeremy llat'dy.
Btit that's litre. lle kttovvs hovv to charm his audience and ltas a quaint sense of the ridiculous.
llis gentle bite snaps often enough to prevent things getting too cosy. l’eter Stt‘iiigfellovv is gloriously latnpooned for threatening legal action over a gag he didn't like. and i'll'klli Brevveries are rightly ridiculed for their one. tilt so hilarious. joke.
Luckily (Joi'inan has Illtll'L‘ and they 're really quite good. (Catherine Pound)
I Dave Gorman litt'lltgc‘) .l'liv‘ l’leasance (Venue 3.3) 556 (i550. lllilll 3| Aug (not I3. 27) 8.30pm.
Girls With Big Jests: hit and miss Little Misses
' COMEDY REVIEW
GIRLS WITH BIG JESTS
Phil and Menu are girlie girls vvho love shopping. bitching and vvho obvioust have loads of practice getting their kits off. Playing everyone from guin-clievv ing Trace and Slitt/ lypes to sllooly. ses-stai‘v ed backpackers. the duo vvhi// through a dozen sketches. But it's a mixed bag.
After a vs ittily observed start as girls up tovv ii. trying to shovel theniselv es itito itsy -bttsy outfits. they peak atid trough through .i stream of stereotypes. including the plastic panache of the shovvbi/ set and a coiii'ti‘ooiti scene hardly more entertaining than the real thing. The} bounce along vv itli boundless energy atid enthusiasm. btit on the gag front vvould be hard pushed to fill a 3-lA. ((‘laire l’renttce)
I Girls With Big Jests (l‘ringe) Gilded Balloon ll (Venue 36) 230 ZIS l. until 3| Aug (not 20) 8pm. £7.50 (£6.50).
COMEDYREVIEW *‘k‘k
{BSD/£8 (USU/£7).
THEA VIDALE
Getting dovv n and talking real duty. ['8 comic Thea \'ida|e makes a joke about
Dave Gorman: wears an M 8: S cardy but is funnier
than your dad
the g-spot sound like: 'l)o you want a cup of tea'.". Brutal attd ravv. she caioles the audience vv itli cries of ‘l)ott.l be sensitive. as she blasts a line about black men’s dislike of cunnilingus: ‘You can only get him to lick a stamp if it tastes of chickenf
Btit there's more to this raunchy coinic. The sure- liie vv it that takes shots at all from Oprah to the Queen. is rooted lll a crusade against racism and the oppression of vvotnen. If you're not one for audience participation lltotlglt. sit tip the back. (Susanna Beauntotil) I Thea Vidale (l-"t'ingei. The Starr Tent (\‘enue I09) (ms JUIS. tiitttl 3| Aug. 9.25pm. {WES (LR/£7).
Judith lucy: good time gal trom down under
couch chat. the bubbly blonde slips into an easy style and gladly shares her most intimate and hilarious secrets. This takes iii the full round of pashing (snogging). bev'vying. bongs and banging — all Lucy needs for a top tiight out. '
More comedic Oprah Winfrey than stand-up. there‘s tears. truths and a family reunion portrayed in sitcom-style snippets. Already a TV star iii her homeland this Sheila could be the latest addition to the ever- growing ranks of Aussie imports. (Claire Prentice) I Judith lucy - An Impossible Dream (Fringe) Australian Comics at the Gilded Balloon. Gilded Balloon Theatre (Venue 38) 226 215]. until 3] Aug (not 19) 9.15pm. £7 (£6).
****
JUDITH LUCY - AN IMPOSSIBLE DREAM
Australian Judith Lucy is the kind of gal who would show you a darn good titne. inviting you into her living-morn for an oii-the-
a hard edge
“Abtour de force of comic improvisation...
complex, baffling, hilarious ...frighteningly plausible" T'io Herald
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GLYNIS I-E presents
48,9. - . ‘ 7 L that ' . «996 ..
ad. .ODERN mosyms IN SCIENCE Ask them to prove Something, anything, \ and they will!
.1 ASSEMBLY ROOMS 9.1.3.1. 229.933.
The List l(i-22 Aug I996 53