Review: James Acaster & others, Bristol Comedy Garden – ‘Stand up comedy at its finest’

The final bill of Bristol Comedy Garden got off to a soggy start, as the heavens opened – conferring all present a representative dose of British summer, after clocking record temperatures few days earlier. But even the sullen skies and steady drizzle could not dampen the spirit of the comedy loving audience.

The crowd took their seats while adopting various hacks to ward off the elements, including Sainsbury’s shopping bags. This did not go unnoticed when the compère, Chloe Petts reprimanded them with a nonchalant put down “Mate! It’s a bag for life, not heads!” Petts MC-ed in style, picking patrons at random and chatting about their day jobs and relationships and building up a great rapport with the audience.

Josh Pugh, whose sharp observational comedy during the lockdown won him a legion of fans, kicked off the proceedings with a flourish. On Father’s Day, he expressed his dearest wish: to chastise his son with the menacing words, “I’m not angry, just disappointed.” Pugh’s observational comedy is acute and slick. He deconstructs to minute detail the curiously British phenomenon of ‘Brits on package holidays’, largely based on his father’s behaviour while abroad.

Food stalls at Bristol Comedy Garden – photo: 57 Festivals

After the first intermission, Celya Ab was introduced to the stage amidst raucous applause. She started her set with a brief introduction of herself (a French woman who voluntarily moved to Birmingham) and an apology for her accent. Ab, who has been a rising star in Birmingham comedy circuit, won the coveted Birmingham Breaking Talent Award is a champion of observational comedy. Her magnetic stage presence and the physical theatre elements brought a sheen to her already polished material. Her fascination with British idiosyncrasies knows no bounds. She finds it hard to comprehend why a nation that invaded and ruled a large proportion of the world should be so obsequious in public spaces.

The penultimate set for the evening featured Jamali Maddix, whose appearance on the Season 11 of Taskmaster has elevated him into a household name. Maddix was so much at ease, he was sipping a can of Asashi lager as he launched into his material. He covered a myriad of topics, ranging from lockdown, to terrorism and addiction. His candid confession on group therapy session where he hung out amongst morally questionable individuals triggered waves of laughter from the audience.

After the final break for the evening, Chloe Petts may have met her sparring partner who would not stop starring at her. Rowen from the central block was asked for his daytime job. When he responded that he was a handstand artist, Petts was both baffled and amused. Rowen was then asked to demonstrate his skills, and walked onto the stage with a great measure of chutzpah, standing on his hands amidst riotous applause.

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He may loathe the title ‘genius’, but nevertheless, the showstopper for the evening was the inimitable James Acaster. On arriving, he also commented on the handstand artist, hoping the previous interlude would not eclipse his segment. The rain has stopped by this time, and Acaster’s appearance on the semi-lit stage was akin to a thunderbolt, which electrified the evening. Here was a master comedian at the height of his powers.

Acaster’s set concerned the plight of being a stand-up comedian; an ‘Access All Areas’ pass to a very personal comedy workshop. The honesty of his performance suggested that perhaps the apparent bravado of a stand-up may be nothing but a façade behind which vulnerability and uncertainty may linger. The set contained no political jokes or digs at fellow comedians but was instead a candid soul-baring, simultaneously funny and moving in that way that only the great comics can achieve. And the story of Acaster’s grandmother coming to his primary school to give a demonstration on spinning wheel went down a treat with the crowd, many of whom who could not stop laughing.

Despite the inclement weather, throughout the gig, the audience were treated to a slick and sophisticated headline bill; it made sitting on wet plastic chairs on a damp evening all the more worthwhile. All in all, another mighty year for Bristol Comedy Garden.

Bristol Comedy Garden poster – image: 57 Festivals

Main photo: 57 Festivals

Read more: Review: Nish Kumar & others, Bristol Comedy Garden – ‘Just the tonic needed’

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