Comedians’ small audience in Leamington were in stitches

‘EVERYONE likes a good laugh’ proclaimed the publicity for A Comedy Night Out at the Spa Centre, but unfortunately only a handful of people turned up to watch the show.

The near empty theatre prompted comedian Duncan Norvelle to quip: “If I’d known there were so few of you, you could have come round to my house”. One of the comic trio, Ian ‘Sludge’ Lees, didn’t appear, but his last minute replacement (so last minute that even Frank Carson didn’t know who he was) filled his boots admirably.

Then Duncan Norvelle took to the stage with his own brand of camp humor, picking a gentleman out of the audience and inviting him to “chase me”. Three hapless individuals were chosen to go on stage with him and were promptly humiliated – but all in good fun. After some really funny gags and brilliant impressions Duncan ended his session with a powerful rendition of My Way, then the curtain fell on what had been an excellent first half.

The star of the second half was the comedy legend Frank Carson, still as good as ever at the age of 84. Although at least one of his jokes was almost as old as he is, he delivered them so well that he still had the audience in stitches “It’s the way I tell them” he boomed, with that trade mark Irish twinkle in he eye. Frank is a naturally funny man with the gift of the Blarney and is always a joy to watch. It’s just a pity that so few were there on Friday night to see him perform.

Morris Troughton-Hume