It takes a lot of guts for a relatively unknown, strange-looking young comic to wander out on stage and challenge the audience from the off, but that's what Andrew Lawrence does. Opening with a chat to himself about how the crowd doesn't like him and is hoping that he's not going to be rubbish, he promises himself that he'll get a big laugh about 90 seconds after appearing.
The crowd are a bit perplexed by all this, but sure enough we warm to him and his funny-little-man routine and he gets his big laugh, albeit slightly later than his hoped for 90 seconds.
His voice is definitely made for comedy, sounding like a breathless Norman Wisdom impersonating an elderly auntie, and by the time you add the lanky appearance and the shock of ginger hair, he's halfway to a comedy award just for being on stage in front of us.
After achieving his big laugh as promised, he spends the rest of his show teaching the crowd how to have a bit more personal space in this world, avoiding the scum at both ends of the social spectrum (Chavs and posh, inbred cousin-shaggers being particular concerns).
His act consists of advice on how to dress, act and sound weird as he nicely dissects various stereotypes, rushing around the stage swearing profusely and getting more and more worked up about his pet hates. He delivers all of this in a fabulous mix of accents, with a clear talent for mimicry.
He also takes the mickey out of the venue during his show, saving me the bother. Suffice to say that it's best not to sit in the back of this grotty little portacabin as there's not a great deal of leg-room.
Even if you are stuck there, you shouldn't let it detract from a good chunk of witty escapism, as this talented young comic finds his voice to entertain. I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot more of Andrew Lawrence.
