I know the weather hasn’t been that hot… but our heats have been ‘smokin’!’’(Please excuse me, I re-watched The Mask recently). Seriously though, I have had so much fun working on these heats. Almost every weekend I’ve been at a heat, I can guarantee you there will be an LOL after my status on facebook. I’m literally getting paid to do what I love the most…wait, isn’t that what porn stars say? Anyway, excuse my rambling manner, what I’m trying to say is that I’m astonished at the high level of talent we have been getting.
Both the Leicester Square Theatre heats have been packed out with entrants-all of which have been extremely entertaining. I was an especially big fan of when we had Angie Le Mar hosting. This was the first time we’d booked her, but she totally rocked it! Angie’s been on the black comedy circuit for decades, making a name for herself in both New York and Los Angeles. She was even in my favorite early 90s program ‘The Real Mcoy’ so I knew I would love her. I personally think the black comedy scene is hilarious and should integrate more into main stream comedy. It was funny to see uncertain looks on a ninety percent white audience with an ‘Is it okay to laugh?’ expression, but then all giving in to Angie’s blunt but hysterical observations.
One thing that she mentioned which really stuck out for me was her theory on Cheryl Cole being fired from her X-factor job. Unfortunately we have all been sworn to secrecy on this, but let’s just say Chezza doesn’t like to get annoyed by toilet attendants…have I said too much?
We also had a fantastic Brighton heat in June. Unlike all the other heats we’ve had, which have if anything been over-full of contestants, we only had three entrants performing that night and ticket sales weren’t that high. We all agreed to just do the best we can, for the acts. But oh how wrong we were – The place was rammed! We had a brilliant host, Sunna Jarman, who handled a large table of rowdy men on a stag night brilliantly. Of course you can guess they heckled at first but she gave as well as she got. It was like being back at school with the naughty kids at the table being told off.
Kate O’Sullivan wowed us with her impressions of Billie Holiday, Liam Gallagher, Absolutely Fabulous, my ever-favorite Cheryl Cole and a whole list of other celebrities. She even did an impression of a new born baby, which was freakishly accurate. I kept telling everyone how she should have her own TV show. Sara J Novak did a hilarious character act of a street rapper named MC SJ which I personally loved, as it reminded me of my youth when I lived in Brixton and wanted to be a gangster rapper…my name was Ill Kid and I’m not ashamed! Lastly we had our headline act, last year’s Funny Women Awards winners Thankless Child. It’s clear why they are hailed as a young French and Saunders with their original, quirky and downright funny sketches.
My sympathies go out to the judges, who have to decide on winners in September – each heat has had great talent. I’m almost sad it’s soon coming to an end – but Manchester and four Edinburgh Fringe dates are still there to look forward to – and it’s not too late for a few last-minute entries!
Niki Durham
