Bruce Devlin interviews guests and lets them strut their stuff before an appreciative audience. Devlins main approach to his audience is abuse, but however harsh he is, they lap it up, and give him plenty more ammunition. His first guest is Karen Dunbar. She seems confused and lost when she comes on stage, telling bad puns and oddly hyperactive. She calms down as she talks about her serious play, about Scottish identity, and tells of rude audience members.
Devlin tries, but fails to top this story, but Dunbar has plenty more to say, slipping in gags from her comedy show, and doing a bit of the plays monologue. She certainly sells A Drunk Woman Looks at the Thistle. Angry Puppy share a few quick sketches with us, playing Kiss / Kill / Marry, aiding a new-mum, and a go at I Spy. Theyve got some nice material, and its all over a bit too fast.
Devlins back post-interval with more banter, before bringing on stage Zoe Lyons. She has a cold, and discusses everything from her stools to Brighton life, to being on Mock the Week. She also covers her own show, and failing to support Norwegian Physical Theatre. After this, its Country singer Wilson Dixon. The Cripple Creek, Colorado escapee sings a song about his philosophies, which is full of twists and punchlines. The pair then chat about Dixons inspirations, and he sings about his mother. He plays dumb, but his wit is razor-sharp, keeping Devlin well on his toes.
Before another interval, were promised Arthur Smith and local favourite Susan Morrison. Arthurs reputation as a storyteller is quickly justified, with a tale of being locked in a Croation Champagne factory, unable to drink. He talks about his infamous Royal Mile tours post-Comedy-Awards show, and being arrested doing the tour in 2002. A tale about starting out at the fringe in 1982 moves into a complete history of modern stand-up, and how that links to art. When he covers Neitzche and Carravagio, Devlin looks out of his depth, but thankfully for him, its a lead into plugging Arthurart and the lecture Smith is giving on his exhibitions role in the history of art.
Susan Morrison is an equally big stage presence, talking about being in the Best of Scottish Comedy show at the Stand, about in-laws from Dundee, Disneyland, and her X Factor experiences. Subjects whiz by, and Morrison and Devlin do compete to speak at times, but the whole interview is still great fun. The harshness of Devlins audience banter, and his apparent ego size would seem to make him an unlikely host for a gentle lunchtime chat show, but this works. The audience revel in the attention, and the guests are all experienced enough professionals to all give as good as they get and never get overwhelmed.
These are great guests in a fun show, with plenty of audience members leaving with free tickets to other shows, so it cant be a bad way to spend a lunchtime.
