Following a successful re-opening earlier this month, ESP comedy columnist Sarah Slack reviews day two of the New Theatre’s bank holiday comedy weekend...
Whilst everyone has their own ideas on what makes a perfect bank holiday weekend, anyone that chooses to spend the last bank holiday of the year before Christmas at a comedy gig is definitely someone I want to be in an audience with. Luckily the New Theatre very kindly provided me with a ticket to their first mini-comedy festival on Monday evening, and with such a fantastic line-up I would have been hard pressed to have turned it down.
Performing in front of an eager and eccentric audience, MC Justin Moorhouse wasted no time in welcoming those who attended by engaging in some light-hearted back and forth with a number of audience members, including local nail technicians, prison officers, and key workers who had been invited by the New Theatre to attend the entire comedy weekend for free.
Following Moorhouse’s warm welcome was first act Hal Cruttenden, who made light-hearted fun of his appearance and his self-admitted narcissistic tendencies which he had cultivated during lockdown. It was also enjoyable to see Cruttenden have some darker comedic moments within his set, especially from someone who has such a playful presence on stage.
The next act of the night was Luisa Omielan, a rising star on the British comedy scene who took a more anecdotal approach by giving us a glimpse of material from her latest tour ‘God is a Woman’. Luisa always succeeds in coming across as genuine and a strong advocate of body positivity, so it was great to see her on stage again where she so clearly belongs.
Following a short interval we were then treated to a smashing headline set from Andrew Maxwell, whose excellent storytelling and comedic timing had the audience hanging onto every word of his performance. His views on the eccentricities behind various European cultures was a particular highlight, and it was a joy to see his no-nonsense and no-holds-barred approach in front of a live audience again.
Overall the whole evening was a fantastic booking on the New Theatre’s part, and I can't wait to see what they have planned for the future and what they are going to bring to Peterborough’s live comedy scene next.
For more information on the latest comedy shows coming to the New Theatre, visit their website at https://newtheatre-peterborough.com.
Sarah Slack
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