Comedy: Wolfson Howler – Chris Addison
Wolfson College
Call it a hunch, but I don’t think the organisers behind this week’s Wolfson Howler were ready for Chris Addison. The chap from The Thick of It and In the Loop, it turns out that Addo is more popular than Justin Lee Collins. So popular, in fact, that when the massed hordes showed up to the college’s reputable comedy night, the powers that be evidently shit themselves into some blind panic and organised the queue into a figure of eight – which, in the hierarchy of confusing queue templates, is behind only the number four and the letter ‘Q’.
However, once inside, the whole evening went like a dream. Compere Ed Gamble was on the money from the get go. Confidently striking up some sparkly banter with members of the audience, Ed managed to be likable, spontaneous and very, very funny.
The acts in the first section were passable, but it was really only when the hilariously-named Philip Wang stepped up that the evening got in gear. Having wisely moved away from the one-liners that characterised his gigs last term, Wang brought out his secret weapon: the ukulele. A hanky-waving success, his musical stylings were a delight; looking at my notes, I’ve written only FANTASTIC in block capitals.
Liam Williams finished the support slots with similar aplomb. Admittedly trying out a little new material, his set was perhaps a touch more uneven than during some of his recent gigs. That said, Williams was still very strong, and his set glistened with wit and nicely-wrought ideas.
So, we’re down to the old in-and-out: headliner Chris Addison. Apparently this show was just a warm up for his UK a tour; not that anyone would have guessed. Chris skipped and bounded through subjects with abandon. The set was sharp and fresh, and felt like he was just plucking gags out the ether. It was genius. On another note: how old do you think he is? Go on, take a guess? No? Thirty-eight. Fucking hell: not bad for someone who looks like a cross between a spaniel and a toddler.
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