This is a story about being on a mailing list. Always sign up for email updates when you can, as despite all those pesky ones offering to enlarge your penis, there can also one that tips you off about some comedy gold. The line-up for last week's 99 Club gig caused quite a stir amongst us 99 Club regulars, as those on the mailing list were sneakily informed that Jack Whitehall would be performing a 'secret gig'. Needless to say, the place was packed, and the atmosphere was one of excited apprehension (and perhaps slight inebriation).
The audience, me included, were pleasantly surprised with the first act on stage before the Whitehall juggernaut. Holly Walsh, 2006 Funny Women finalist has made multiple appearances on Mock the Week, Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow, Would I Lie to You and many more, ended up providing a very tough act to follow, even for the likes of Jack Whitehall.
Holly's natural ease on stage became instantly apparent, as she opened her short twenty minutes of spotlight with a bit of light hearted audience interaction. For me, this is a hugely impressive comic skill, as no act can ever anticipate what an audience member will say or do. In a worst case scenario, they could just be unbelievably dull; being able to improvise and turn whatever they say into a joke, in which the hapless audience member is both laughing with you and being laughed at by everyone else without being alienating, is an admirable trait in any comic.
Throwing in a few anecdotes about her personal life (such as her horror at her fiancee asking if, now they were engaged, they could sync their Nectar cards), Holly delivered an easy-going, comfortable performance, hitting us with hilarious stories which all of us could relate to, whilst gently mocking various audience members without just crudely poking fun at them.
Now the audience was sufficiently relaxed and enjoying themselves, we turned to notice a very tall, slightly stooped, casually dressed man stride up to the stage. The realisation hit me later than expected; Jack Whitehall had arrived! Introducing himself modestly as just 'Jack', he had us laughing from the words 'upper middle class background'. Confiding in us the horrors of his childhood, with particular emphasis on school dinners in which they 'once served red wine with the sea bass', his classic 'posh boy' act was, as always, a winner – it's no wonder he won the much-deserved title 'King of Comedy' at the 2012 Comedy Awards.
All too soon, Jack's act was over, and us mere mortals in the audience were sad to see yet another comedy god exit the building (we literally saw him exit, hurrying through the crowded room, indiscreetly trying to hide underneath a beanie). But the show wasn't over yet. Feeling mildly apprehensive, I think a few of us in the audience (myself included) considered leaving; we'd seen who we here for, and Holly was a bonus treat, so who could possibly match them?
Our expectations were once again shamefully surpassed, as Brett Goldstein swaggered up on stage, and hit us with one after another of his hilarious musings and anecdotes. Ending on a high with relaying how he had met someone who had actually attempted the 'Popcorn Trick' on a date (if you don't know what that is, as my innocent self didn't, look it up – it's brilliant).
If you're a fan of any of the above, or like the sound of their work, they frequently perform at the 99 Comedy Club in Leicester Square, so get yourself on that mailing list to find out more about their up and coming gigs – you won't regret it!
Victoria Karpinski is a student at Leeds University and aspiring writer.
Pictured: Jack Whitehall and Holly Walsh
