5/5 stars
In the tightly packed upstairs space of The Library, Chris Ramsey shuffles past the crowd onto the stage and speaks to the floor, clutching a giant foam dice. It seems a bit odd for a comedian, until it is revealed that this is part of a Derren Brown gag as he chucks the dice into the audience for a bit of improvised banter to open the show. His quick-witted replies are both funny and charming, particularly when it comes to encouraging the more timid in the crowd, and once that’s over, he launches into over an hour’s worth of comedy gold.
From his terrifying sky diving experience to the way taxi drivers always ask him if he’s a fan of Roy ‘Chubby’ Brown (and the answer is NO! He’s not!), Ramsey recounts a series of hilarious stories that has the entire room shaking with laughter. One focal point of his routine includes stories of his dad’s practical jokes and the many instances in which his parents nearly caused his death as a child. With so many relatable moments, Ramsey has the audience gasping for breath as he rattles off gag after hilarious gag. He is a talented performer with a great sense of timing, pace and intonation.
Comic timing is also a skill evidently present in Carl Hutchinson’s performance. Ramsey’s support act recounts tales of his days teaching secondary school maths and his underpants hierarchy, closing with a reading from One Direction’s second (YES! SECOND!) autobiography.
Ramsey’s routine is not just a laugh-a-minute show though. He looks at some very big ideas in a comic yet sensitive way, from Bill Bryson and the odds of us being here to the way in which religious and atheistic organisations ‘sell’ their beliefs.
Performing again at The Oak next Friday, 26th October. I would strongly recommend anyone to grab the chance to see this brilliant piece of stand-up before while they still can!
Alice Rafter