Michael Cox reviews Phil Nichol: RANTS, Diane Spencer: Exquisite Bad Taste and Jessica Fostekew: Brave New Word.
Stand-up comedy. It is an art form that does not get the credit it is due. Those who are good at it have, many times over, been accused of just being themselves and not really working, and yet the comedian who doesn't go down well has no one to blame and nowhere to hide--with only a mic, they are quite vulnerable. So I am always in awe of anyone brave, or perhaps mad, enough to take it on.
And one of my favourites over the years has been Phil Nichol. Always doing multiple things, he is an true stalwart of the Fringe, and Phil Nichol: RANTS (****) is him at his sharpest. Nichol is a great showman, and there are many times that you never know if he has gone off the track or if something that seems unscripted is in fact carefully executed.
RANTS might not be his most polished show, and there were times where he struggled to find his way out of set-ups, but when he's on form, the man delivers the goods. Some of the rants are a bit random and don't quite hit the target, but for every dropped dart are at least three bulls-eyes. And I'm willing to bet the show is going to get even better as it continues to run. Insightful, honest and downright funny, RANTS is worth your time.
For anyone with the foolish belief that female comedians are not as edgy as their male counterparts, meet Diane Spencer. Her show, Diane Spencer: Exquisite Bad Taste (****), is as sharp and over the top as it is personal. Anyone, be it male or female, who has the gall to start their set with a story about masturbating too much, and tops that by having the story told to their mother, deserves some kudos for bravely putting it out there--and that isn't even her at her most outrageous.
Yes, Spencer is a bit filthy (I would even argue that some of these moments were amongst the weakest in her set), but there is a refreshing honesty about her performance, an honesty that even many supposed 'shock comedians' would waver at crossing. Quick witted and hilarious, Spencer might not be for those with tamer tastes but is nevertheless hysterical.
There is a very good show within Jessica Fostekew: Brave New Word (***). Fostekew's love of words is not only apparent but infectious, and the set is filled with clever moments of word play and history, and the piece improves when she incorporates previously discussed words into her banter. Even better is Fostekew herself: warm, witty and knowledgeable.
However, the material presented doesn't quite feel deserving of its own production. Instead, it feels like it should be a component of a larger whole, and there is enough on show to prove that Fostekew is more than capable of creating that material. As it stands, Brave New Word is a production stuck in third gear when it should be in fifth.
Phil Nichol: RANTS is at the Assembly Rooms. Diane Spencer: Exquisite Bad Taste and Jessica Fostekew: Brave New Word are at the Gilded Balloon. Check programme or website for dates and times.
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