Something funny happened over the Bank Holiday weekend: I was walking down the Old Kent Road and heard a South London accent!
Unbelievable. Even funnier was At Last! The 1981 Show, Stewart Lee and Paul Jackson’s attempt to recreate the buzz of thirty years ago when alternative comedy was about to explode.
They have persuaded comics to resurrect routines that have not been performed for almost all of that 30 years, got double acts to reform for this one-off event, and dragged comedians out of comedy retirement to make an appearance.
There were as many funny men in the audience as there was on stage. Me and young Jimmy played spot the comedian as we sat in the Royal Festival Hall bar. Frank Skinner, Matt Lucas, Sean Hughes and many others I recognised but not put a name to.
Bermondsey Boy Arthur Smith compered the first part of the show and exhumed old gags from his early days, one about ‘entering a marathon’ was crude but hilarious; his 1980s political jokes still have a freshness about them as the Tories are in government now, as they were then.
Comedians that had passed away were fondly remembered with some of their best lines, Malcolm Hardee’s ‘Doctor, Doctor’ gags getting an airing. Smith also did a passable impression of Leonard Cohen, which surprised us all.
Alexei Sayle came on and did a few introductions but did not seem too bothered about making us laugh: ‘ I’m only here to give validity to this thing,’ he told us with a sense of boredom. But he did want to let us know that he is now an author. Hello John, got a new book out?
It was an evening of legends. Ageing legends but legends nevertheless. Nigel Planer bringing back Neil for our delectation; the brilliant John Cooper Clarke giving us the one and only Chicken Town; Arnold Brown demonstrating why he has been at the top of the game longer than anyone else on the show and The Oblivion Boys showing us why they were not.
Memory of the night: The Greatest Show On Legs (Malcolm Hardee’s old gang) performing the famous Balloon Dance.
Joke of the night: ‘One out of three people weigh as much as the other two.’
Visual of the night: One naked comedian with a firework up his backside, spraying hot sparks over another naked comedian.
Now, that’s what I call a finale!
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com