Clive James Review |
Few comedians can exude the wit and charm of Clive James. In his typically laid back fashion (and stylish M&S ensemble) we are guided through his thoughts about a variety of subjects; from the Olympics and Much of the show is reflective in tone, and it is refreshing to see a comedian assured enough in his performance to disregard cheap, instant laughs in favour of well formed thoughts. What, James wonders, will comedians do with the withdrawal of Tony Blair and George Bush from public life? Thankfully, for a man of his age, James never becomes overly cynical or despairing in tone and manages to hold the attention of the audience well. In his nasal Australian accent it becomes apparent that Clive James can wander into almost any subject (Marks and Spencer for example) and effortlessly entertain. It’s also a relaxed and intelligent performance, which in a festival of hyper-active, aggressively opinionated comedians makes a welcome change of pace. His new book Cultural Amnesia is hilariously plugged throughout and a great passage on Richard Burton’s hair in Where Eagles Dare serves as a highlight of the show. An excellent evening of entertainment, bringing out James’ keen intellect and brilliant sense of humour – well worth seeing. |
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