Review: Norman Lovett comes down to Earth
Review: Old And New Tour
Venue: Hyena Lounge Comedy Club, The Basement, February 23
Almost ignoring the red dwarf in the room, Norman Lovett meandered through modern life with the help of an iPad and the hindrance of a particularly persistent heckler.
We learned that he is a fan of Lady Gaga, Question Time and The Big Bang Theory, but not science fiction. His 75 minute set was sedate, good-humoured and dead-pan.
The audience were appreciative, although he had to contend with a very vocal female fan a few too many times, clearly to the irritation of the people sat around me.
As you would expect, many there were Red Dwarf fans (Dwarfists? Like Whovians or Trekkies?). They clearly wanted to hear Holly (the computer character played by Lovett in the long-running BBC sci-fi series).
He acknowledged the show but most of his musings were more Earth-bound. Life in Epsom, popular music, his dog Elvis and Boris Johnson. The latter causing him to become particularly animated, angry even.
Enjoying a drink after the show, my friend and a couple of visitors from Northumberland felt the show lacked pace and was a bit too laid-back. This gave the hecklers too much room to manoeuvre and Lovett’s good-natured approach let this create a bit too much drift.
Chris Ramsey, who I saw here before the Edinburgh Fringe was typical of the many young comedians – witty, fast-paced, quick-fire and side-splittingly funny.
Lovett (who is 67) was a warmer, slower, disjointed perambulation that left you laughing, but not till it hurt.
It was a grumpy old man show, only good-natured, without too much grump. He acknowledged advancing years and the perspective this can give you. He also kept the fans happy and delivered what he thinks will be used as his epitaph.
“Everybody’s dead Dave.” The End.