Let me begin this review by telling you about my previous visits to the carbuncle of the Brighton seafront, The Brighton Centre - the building so ugly they obscured its name in a 'face lift'. There were the work outings to Holiday on Ice orchestrated by my Dad's employers, a pre-teen outing with my mum and sister to see my favourite band eternal (no capitalisation - any true fan knows that) sadly without Louise Nerding (once they are glammed up and slick girl bands are no longer fun are they?), a spontaneous visit with my sister to see The Corrs (on a school night. A school night my teen sister and I spent looking at the audience and asking "who are all these old people?"), family members' graduations and, as of last night, to seeMiranda Hart.
Yes, on April Fool's day I went to see Miranda Hart's My, What I Call, Live Show for lunging, plunging and catchphrases. Miranda told us it wasn't a stand up show so much as a party, with 90s party music and party food.
The audience was very varied, Miranda Hart appeals to such a wide demographic (from the audience I'd say 11 to...dead) that it's a wonder she isn't on our screens more. Though from her comedy material it's hard to know what product she might endorse. Unless there's a dating site for flatulent singles. Which, unflatulently, there isn't.
Make no mistake, this is a stadium tour and it has been directed to an inch of its life. No fan of Miranda of the sitcom Miranda should be left disappointed, practically every catchphrase from her eponymous show was shoehorned in to the set and Miranda's trademark confessional anecdotes gave the couple sitting behind me plenty of chances to announce "that's me, that is" or "that's you!"
The audience was very varied, Miranda Hart appeals to such a wide demographic (from the audience I'd say 11 to...dead) that it's a wonder she isn't on our screens more. Though from her comedy material it's hard to know what product she might endorse. Unless there's a dating site for flatulent singles. Which, unflatulently, there isn't.
Make no mistake, this is a stadium tour and it has been directed to an inch of its life. No fan of Miranda of the sitcom Miranda should be left disappointed, practically every catchphrase from her eponymous show was shoehorned in to the set and Miranda's trademark confessional anecdotes gave the couple sitting behind me plenty of chances to announce "that's me, that is" or "that's you!"
| It works and it no doubt leaves fewer people disappointed, but those who like to see more traditional stand up and curious to see how Miranda Hart stands up - as it were, might feel a little short changed. | Miranda's live persona is a mite more edgy than on TV. She still can't say "seckshoowal" but she can say "fuck". |
Only the moments you can't plan for, such as accidentally shooting a T-shirt gun into the venue ceiling (oh yeah there was a T-shirt gun) or chatting up an under-age boy caused a more intimate atmosphere - Miranda is not afraid to laugh at herself when things go wrong.
Of course as with every comedy TV star who return to the stage to ply their trade (Miranda briefly worked the comedy circuit with stand up and sketch shows) Miranda's live persona is a mite more edgy than on TV. She still can't say "seckshoowal" but she can say "fuck". Though not without warning and only because it was part of the anecdote.
As someone who goes to a lot of stand up shows what Miranda has is a warmness that most comedians just don't. Where they have to win the audience over with 'edgy' anger and cynicism, Miranda simply and unashamedly wins them over with her determination to enjoy life. And she seems to be enjoying it. Ordering all the puddings, admitting that she has no need of a shop she has accidentally walked into and squeezing in a revolving door with a stranger. All for her own amusement and sweet tooth.
So while her reliance on her TV catchphrases is a little disappointing how many comedians openly share their joy to be on stage (not counting Michael McIntyre, OK?) - arguably it's quite a brave tack to take. Having suffered from agoraphobia in her 20's it isn't as though Miranda doesn't have a 'tears of a clown' story to exploit should she so choose.
But instead we leave still really knowing nothing about her. Apart from this is the woman who takes those singing in the mirror fantasies and makes them real. Oh you might daydream about strutting on to a dry ice filled stage, wearing gold sequins to Beyonce's Crazy in Love but do you do it? Miranda does.
Squeamish Kate
Of course as with every comedy TV star who return to the stage to ply their trade (Miranda briefly worked the comedy circuit with stand up and sketch shows) Miranda's live persona is a mite more edgy than on TV. She still can't say "seckshoowal" but she can say "fuck". Though not without warning and only because it was part of the anecdote.
As someone who goes to a lot of stand up shows what Miranda has is a warmness that most comedians just don't. Where they have to win the audience over with 'edgy' anger and cynicism, Miranda simply and unashamedly wins them over with her determination to enjoy life. And she seems to be enjoying it. Ordering all the puddings, admitting that she has no need of a shop she has accidentally walked into and squeezing in a revolving door with a stranger. All for her own amusement and sweet tooth.
So while her reliance on her TV catchphrases is a little disappointing how many comedians openly share their joy to be on stage (not counting Michael McIntyre, OK?) - arguably it's quite a brave tack to take. Having suffered from agoraphobia in her 20's it isn't as though Miranda doesn't have a 'tears of a clown' story to exploit should she so choose.
But instead we leave still really knowing nothing about her. Apart from this is the woman who takes those singing in the mirror fantasies and makes them real. Oh you might daydream about strutting on to a dry ice filled stage, wearing gold sequins to Beyonce's Crazy in Love but do you do it? Miranda does.
Squeamish Kate
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