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Cliffs Pavilion, SouthendRob Brydon, Lee Mack and David Mitchell take the off-the-cuff gags of Would I Lie to You? on the road for a nonessential but entertaining night of comedy
The panel show offers a TV lifeline to scores of comedians, but it has never taken off as a live format. I could see that changing if the industry catches on to what Brydon, Mack and Mitchell are up to on their Town to Town tour. It’s as if the trio have asked themselves: how can we monetise the skills – and the camaraderie – honed over a decade on the BBC’s Would I Lie to You? Fair enough. They offer complementary qualities while each being adept at raillery, lively chatter and off-the-cuff gags. As per many a panel show, it’s completely nonessential but passes the time entertainingly.
Given the complaint that such TV is the cosy preserve of backslapping male comedians, perhaps it is regrettable that the show’s set suggests a gentlemen’s club: oak panels, upholstered chairs and even a moose head looming down from the back wall. There’s something Rotarian, too, about Rob Brydon’s introductory remarks, which include impersonations last novel in Mike Yarwood’s day, and a hard-to-love standup routine about how weakly the ageing Brydon now pees. Continue reading...