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“Jimmy Carr - Joke Technician - Halifax Victoria...”

written by on 08/10/2008

Jimmy Carr - Joke Technician - Halifax Victoria Theatre, 6 October 2008 - The only "entertainers" I've previously heard described as "technicians" are drummers, so it is somewhat appropriate that "Joke Technician" is applied to Jimmy Carr's latest 240bpm stage show.



It seems a strange thing to say but, in a comedy sea of meandering observational comics and satirists, Carr's one- and two-liners are a breath of fresh air; set 'em up, knock 'em down jokes which you can repeat in the pub after half a dozen Stellas. If you dare.



He's been compared to the late, great Bob Monkhouse but I'd offer a, perhaps, slightly less eminent comparator. Carr, in the spirit of "The Comedians", is a latter day Frank Carson; it's the way he tells 'em.



Oh, and tell 'em he does. Nothing longer than 10 seconds or so; joke-laugh-joke-laugh-lather-rinse-repeat. Some material hits the spot, some hits a nerve; anything that misses is quickly forgotten as another line, then another, then another hit home.



Props are minimal - a Powerpoint presentation, an (unused in this performance) piano and a few clipboards.



Material is fresh (a few old favourite lines thrown in, but largely new) and topical (a show in Halifax in the current financial climate? An opportunity not to be missed).



Hecklers are dealt with stylishly or dismissively, depending on the quality of the heckling (the acknowledgement of the "caravanning" woman was a nice touch, the interaction with the HBoS IT guy was great. Why is there always an IT guy on the front row?)



A great crowd (well done, Halifax) and a performer feeding off them made for an excellent show - Carr even hosted a line-up (oo-er, missus!) in the Foyer afterwards, signing programmes, tickets and (probably) body parts for anyone who cared to wait.



He might still have the most punchable face in British comedy, but there's a thoroughly good bloke behind it.