The intention of this live slice of comedy history was to commemorate some of those who shaped a new comedy scene in Britain, but it served mainly as a reminder that “alternative comedy” was often not as funny as it thought it was.
In character as the luvvie Nicholas Craig, Nigel Planer of The Young Ones kicked things off by sneering down his nose at alternative comedy as “pointless and adolescent”. First up to dispel this idea was Arthur Smith. While often good value – “A bag for life? I don’t want that kind of responsibility” – Smith’s indulgent performance of Leonard Cohen’s “I’m Your Man” numbered among the occasions when a largely game audience felt nonplussed.
Another such moment came with The Oblivion Boys (Stephen Frost and Mark Arden), whose knockabout charm remains as slight as it ever was. “That’s fighting talk where I come from,” says Frost in one sequence, to which Arden replies: “Why don’t you hit me then?” “I’ve moved,” flourishes Frost.
Similarly Norman Lovett’s style felt unique in the Eighties, but the passage of time has obscured the seemingly inconsequential nature of material that included weak, prop-assisted gags where a kazoo replaces a referee’s whistle and a shower cap is likened to a jellyfish.
Alexei Sayle hosted the second act, but fought shy of reprising his old routines, choosing instead to muse upon how much had changed since he “invented alternative comedy”, adding: “as comedians we were soldiers in the same war; obviously Jim Davidson was in the Waffen-SS.”
Sayle’s charges included writer and actress Pauline Melville, updating her role as Eydie the Radical Housewife, and Arnold Brown, who gave his absurd one-liners a rather too sedate outing.
Stewart Lee hosted the final section in which he inflicted upon us the tedious musings of Kevin McAleer, using a series of unconnected slides to tell the story of his life. Celebrated punk poet John Cooper Clarke floundered in his effort to pick up the pace, while livelier offerings came from The Greatest Show on Legs, avant-garde Japanese outfit Frank Chickens and Chris Lynam, who ended the show with his trademark firework-up-the-bum gag.
Overall, the feeling prevailed that comedy is no country for old men (or women) – even if some of these acts helped to lay the terrain for today.
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube