In a venue with no natural light, these two shine. Patch and Elf, or Hyde and Lyons, have a two-person show, with half an hour each of stand-up.
Patch went to drama school and outlines how this was a poor career choice, his set consisting of stories drawn from the experience. He is charming, with an easygoing manner and a chatty way with the crowd – no doubt honed by his study of the performing arts. He strikes a nerve with his summation of the works of Pinter, Beckett and Brecht - material that probably has a niche audience. He also covers classic comedy fare, such as his relationship and jitters at reaching the big 3-0, which is interwoven with his acting career trajectory. His set is neatly structured, with the ending bringing the whole lot of material to a clever and unpredicted conclusion.
Elf begins the second half by reading aloud some erotic fiction authored by herself, with heavy emphasis on the most bawdy words, and heavy breathing during the raunchy moments. This causes the crowd to whoop with delight – comic, not sexual. Her oddball set moves on from erotica to modelling, boarding school and a hilarious recount of a performance art piece she had the fortune to witness in Bristol. Her material is quirky and her stage persona refreshingly real.
While both comics need to adjust to the venue, being undecided on whether or not to use the microphone and how much to move about the space, they have a friendly, engaging and unpretentious show. It is well worth the short walk from the Mile.
