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Brighton Comedy Festival '09 Reviews

This month, we're making the most of the Brighton Comedy Festival and Brighton Comedy Festival Fringe, running throughout October.  Check back regularly for thoughts from our reviewing team!

Are you looking for a review from Edinburgh 2009?  Don't worry - our archives are all still online.  Find them here.



 
Rabbit in the Headlights
Tuesday, 03 November 2009

3 stars

Upstairs At Three And Ten (venue details)
See venue website for future dates
Reviewed by Chris Hislop

Opinion on "new act" nights is completely divided.  Some swear by them, enjoying engaging with new material and talent and hoping to see the NBT (Next Big Thing). Others can't stand the idea - rather going with established acts who will definitely be worth their money. I used to be the latter camp, but have found myself sliding into the former… and with Rabbit in the Headlights being the best-established new talent night in Brighton, I thought I’d give it a shot.

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Red Brick Comedy Club
Wednesday, 28 October 2009

2 stars

Upstairs At Three And Ten (venue details)
Run ended
Reviewed by Chris Hislop

I can only describe my experience with Brighton's "finest, funniest late-night stand-up comedy" as disappointing.  It's a shame to have to tarnish it with such a low star-rating, but there is sadly little to praise; the two headlining acts were poor and, although Zoe Lyons is a very talented compere, she was clearly as uncomfortable and embarrassed as the audience.

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The Noise Next Door
Monday, 26 October 2009

4 stars

Upstairs At Three And Ten (venue details)
Run ended
Reviewed by Fiona Russell

Part-boyband, part-sitcom, part-troubadour-barbershop-quintet, The Noise Next Door is a multi-talented behemoth of improv comedy. Though this genre is always going to be hit or miss, the five guys from The Noise Next Door play one of the most distinctive rounds of quick-fire musical improv I’ve seen in a long time.

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Ginger and Black: The Extraordinary Life and Times of Harold
Friday, 23 October 2009

3 stars

Brighton Dome - Pavilion Theatre (venue details)
Run ended
Reviewed by Fiona Russell

Ginger and Black’s deadpan Extraordinary Life and Times of Harold fell flat this evening.  Rescued only by a handful of well-developed characters and some great one-liners, this primary-school presentation for grown-ups was far less cohesive than I’d hoped. The show follows the story of ten-year-old Harold through the blitz - with a narrative strung together by intermittent songs, kitsch animations, and an inventive use of props, seeking to create a nostalgic presentation from the duo.

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New Art Club: This Is Now
Sunday, 18 October 2009

4.5 stars

Brighton Dome - Pavilion Theatre (venue details)
Run ended
Reviewed by Chris Hislop

I'm partially dreading, and partially can't wait, to write this review.  New Art Club come laden with accolades for their unique blend of dance and comedy, as well as their efforts beyond the stage: both Tom Roden and Pete Shenton are established figures in the dance world, and are renowned for their educational as well as their directorial work. However, beyond all of their achievements, they are two extremely silly and funny men, combining to great effect their inventive and ridiculous dance with - in this case - the music of the early 80s. This is Now is sweet, nostalgic and hilarious, and well worth seeing, if just for the ingenuity this duo display.

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FROM OUR ARCHIVES

These are archived reviews of shows from Brighton 2009.  We keep our archives online as a courtesy to performers, and for readers who'd like to research previous years' reviews.

Current reviews >>

Latest Ticket Alert

 

It feels like the dust's barely settled on the 2009 Festival, but the first tickets for next year are about to go on sale.  Seats for the 2010 Edinburgh Military Tattoo - the umatched soldierly spectacle which wows crowds of 8,500 nightly in front of Edinburgh Castle - will be released online from Tuesday 1 December.  And with demand sure to be strong in the Tattoo's diamond anniversary year, there's no time to waste securing your place.

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