What: Andy Parsons
Where: Lyric Theatre, London
When: 28th September
Reviewed by: Roger Goodgroves

As regular readers on GetToTheFront will know I spend way too much of my life watching live music, so a Monday night at a comedy gig was a welcome change. You would be forgiven for assuming I’d come to the Lyric Theatre in London’s West End on the wrong night; this is normally the venue for the “Thriller” show that celebrates the music of Michael Jackson. So a quick double check was needed when an apparent Andy Parsons took to the stage accompanied by a throbbing MJ backing track. The distinctive bald head and goatee beard were seen jumping and spinning through a vigorous dance routine. As the gyrating dance sequence ended with the performer flat out on the stage the real Andy Parsons entered stage left.

This high octane, unexpected, venue specific entrance seemed to almost sum up the evening for me as the casual audience interaction that followed was somewhat of a let down. I had high expectations of Andy Parsons having seen him on Mock the Week and heard that he was one of the talented writing team behind the very successful Spitting Image TV show as well as a talented pianist.

Parsons is a good stand up comic and his observational wit have kept him busy on the comedy scene since being involved with Footlights at Cambridge Uni in the late 80s. Tonight’s show seemed though to depend too much on his reputation and past material than to be pushing any new ground.

He spent way too much time trying to get laughs from his interaction with the audience. This is a difficult task and shows his skill and relaxed professionalism, the problem is it also depends way too much on what the audience give him in way of material to work with. This was a long show and at times it really felt it! That’s not to say that a well edited and cut down DVD release won’t be pleasing to the Andy Parsons fan.

He has established himself in somewhat of a rut with his comedy. The promotional blurb describes his jokes as “clever, substantial and beautifully crafted. And very, very funny”. I never felt that his rehearsed sections hit the mark that well. There were jokes in there and that’s not to say I didn’t laugh or have a wry smile and his observations, however it never really seemed to flow, nor have that much of substance in the material.

He rightly points out the British middle class malaise and Mr Angry from Croydon persona typified by a loud tut, a foot stamp and a strongly worded letter. Yet Andy’s main targets tonight were the too easy ones of Bankers, Traffic Wardens and the 2012 Olympics. Easy to get a laugh but in no way likely to provoke the middle class revolt he seems intent on proclaiming.

The unexpected encore to this show was the real Mr Parsons mirroring the earlier impostor through the Michael Jackson routine. Once again this showed how multi-talented he is, perhaps he should have spent longer on preparing his material than learning to perfect the dance routine.

The DVD from the show is due for release on November 23rd but can be pre-ordered from now from Amazon

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