The Funny Women empire has spread east. No, we’re not talking oriental franchises (just yet) but rather a hipster enclave of Hoxton Square, the fantastic Hoxton Apprentice. Yes, we know Dalston is now the new Hoxton (or maybe that was a few years ago now) but there is still a vestige of graphic designers in orange trainers to be found in this area. Far more welcoming and genuine than your average Hoxton haunt however, this fantastic top restaurant/bar proved to be a quirkily accommodating venue for our first ever Funny Women event there.
Reminding me ever so slightly of a wedding reception in terms of table layout with punters polishing off their sumptuous courses, I was a little unsure at first at how the comedy would translate but our host Mandy Muden proved to be the perfect Ferrero Rocher of after-dinner accompaniments, we really were spoilt with her inimitable mix of cheeky double entendres and magic – no one can lull an audience into a false sense of superiority quite like she can before expertly and quite literally pulling the rabbit out of the hat with some fantastic magic and Derren Brown-esque mind reading.
In between the trickery we had the perfect mix of stand-up, character and variety and it was a particular joy to see how the talent of this year’s finalists is continuing to develop, with new material from London’s notooriously prim and proper ‘belcher’ Chastity Butterworth (performed by Gemma Whelan) who continues to beguile and entertain audiences, and vocal coach Tiff Mason (performed by Alison Thea-Skot) whose stupendous octavial talents and almost panto-baddie presence last night provoked both a quake of terror and hilarity in equal measures with the clientele. Rachel Parris also finished off the night with new songs and her, anything but, tepid, comical musings on a lack-lustre relationship with the gag-ridden hit: ‘My feelings for you are tepid’, which always keeps the room heated (and always stays in my head for days after!). Great stand up too from finalist Jess Fostekew, as well as newcomers Lara King and Zoe Grisedale who I look forward to seeing more of.
Of particular note too was Mock The Week star Diane Morgan whose deadpan style slightly clashed with the somewhat raucous and slightly distracted audience at the start of her set. Her gags, delivery and evident respect for wordsmithery are so well crafted though, that this was not the case for long, as audience members soon found themselves rolling in their own mirth (and remnants of very nice cake) within two minutes. I’m still haunted by the vision of Myra Hindley’s heated rollers however.. go see her to know what I’m on about.
Thank you very much Hoxton Apprentice for a great evening and such a hospitable reception. May it be the start of many more.
