Reviewer: Christine Stanton
“High Calibre Comedians”
4.5 / 5
~This review was originally written for The Reviews Hub ~
Live At The Works is a recurring stand-up staple at the wonderful Woolwich Works venue, each time with a brilliant bill of comedians showcasing their best material. This edition features headliner Tom Davis who does an excellent job of closing the show after an evening filled with laughter.
Felicity Ward (Live at The Apollo) is the compère for the evening, opening with a long, awkward, audience interaction that struggles to get off the starting blocks, but thankfully manages to settle well into her hosting role as the evening proceeds. Steering away from crowd-work, she instead uses her high-tempo, manic energy to win over the crowd and warm them up prior to each act.
Janine Harouni (Buffering) is the first act of the evening and immediately sets the bar high with her relaxed, effortlessly funny cadence and humorous observations of life in London since moving over from Staten Island, USA. From lockdowns to lift etiquette, her honest and relatable stories, alongside her likeable persona combine perfectly and make her an ideal choice as the show opener.
Tadiwa Mahlunge (Comedy Central Live) is relatively new on the scene compared to the other comedians but shows no sign of it, as he confidently performs his well put together material that will see him go far on the comedy circuit. His reflections on family life and childhood bring big laughs in the audience, but his depressing experience working at a financial advice firm is a hilarious highlight of an already strong performance.
Spencer Jones (Mister Winner / The Mind of Herbert Clunkerdunk) is best-known for his brilliantly bizarre brand of weird and wacky comedy, and tonight he doesn’t disappoint. Entering the stage on a pair of heelies and opening his set by making the face drawn on his belly button whistle a tune, instantly sets the tone for his unique style of humour. His inventory of props and on-stage gimmicks have the audience in stitches with his superb silliness.
Tom Davis (King Gary / Murder in Successville) is the well-deserved headliner and strong final act of the evening. His recent experiences of fatherhood make up the bulk of his material, with hysterically funny tales of sleep deprivation and school sports day nerves. Although reaching success with his TV shows and roles in movies such as Wonka and Paddington 2, fame hasn’t gotten to his head, and his building site background still forms a core part of his persona, making his genuine and charismatic nature appeal even more so, even if Hollywood co-stars Hugh Grant and Timothee Chalamet may no longer agree. Although he professes he’s become boring now he’s in his 40’s – his hilarious set is anything but.
The Live At The Works evenings always host a high calibre of talent, with a good balance of well-known and established names alongside new and upcoming comedians. This comfortable, intimate venue is the perfect home for an entertaining evening of stand up.
Reviewed on 15 April 2023
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