Mike Levy bounds on stage with all the gusto a 64 year old man can have. ‘I’ve been waiting all my life for this’, he claims as he nervously takes his place in front of the microphone. Aided with prompt cards or his ‘comfort blanket’ as he calls them, you can’t help but brace yourself for a bumbling amateur performance.
Mike Levy is a lovely man, who appreciates the little things in life. Now retired, he tells us about the comedy course he’s taken and his newfound love for stand up. His enthusiasm is undeniable and the audience immediately warms to him. You want him to do well. You want him to bring the house down. You want the crowd of over 60s to fall off their chairs with laughter.
Unfortunately, Levy’s performance is less than side-splitting. This is his first gig and his inexperience definitely shows as he desperately tries to remember what he’s been taught in class. ‘Oh no!’ he exclaims ten minutes into his set, ‘I’ve forgotten to warm up the crowd!’ Although initially, I thought the self-highlighting of his jokes was part of his onstage persona, it becomes apparent that this is just a sign of is lack of confidence. It grows tiresome to hear, ‘Did you get that? That was a local reference; they told me to do that in class’.
Similarly, his material, based around growing old, seemed to be more informative than funny. For about half an hour, he reads from Jean Carper’s book ‘Stop Aging Now!’. There is a distinct lack of jokes or any sort of punchline whatsoever. Instead, we are treated to hearing about the list of useful vitamins that broccoli and Brussel sprouts contain. After Chapter 8: Eat more Curry, I couldn’t help but let out a groan of disbelief. I know his reading as meant to be ironic but without more comedy included in the set, it had to be one of the dullest hours of my life. The elderly man snoring in the back row seemed to agree with me.
Mike Levy is a genuinely sweet and endearing man and I fully applaud his decision to try and do stand up. Perhaps a little more practice is needed and fewer mention of vegetables.
