Stand-up comedy

Tuesday, 19th of April 2016

One of the things that made me fall in love with London was its comedy culture. Here comedy is more than just a hobby, it is valued as an art form and comedians have a highly source of respect from the audience itself, gaining thousands of devouted fans, like myself.

Six years ago, when I turned 16 and first came to London, I rushed to a store so I could buy Russell Brand´s stand-up comedy DVD, it was the first of many. Since that day on, my collection has been increasing, I own now several stand-up tours DVD´s, a great deal of comedian´s autobiographies and my list of favorite performers has been fast growing ever since. 

It was a promise made to myself that on my returning to England, I would indeed attend a live stand-up comedy show for the first time. Yesterday, 18th of April, my wish came true when I set foot inside the beautiful and highly iluminated Lyric Theater, in the Soho neighborhood, to see a favorite: Joe Lycett.

Although I had no company, I was not about to miss this great event, so I called a taxi and after 15 minutes I arrived at the theater, which was surronded everywhere with fans trying to get in, as it was a sold out show. I took my place in the Upper Circle of the arena with a clear stage view, as at exactly 20pm, and after his announcement, Joe Lycett enters the stage. 

Around 900 people cheered him and laughed at his first couple of jokes, highlighting the tittle of the tour "That´s the way a-ha, a-ha" (recalling a famous song) and take on the people sat in the first row at the stalls. Nearly 30 minutes after he first arrived, he presented the warm-up comedian and another familiar face walked into the stage, it was irish comic, Aisling Bea. She continued gathering laughs with her thick irish accent retelling her trip to America until it was time for the interval.

20 minutes went by faster than I was expecting, when Lycett returned to perform his routine. The all time favorite joke and highly memorized by his fans since he performed it on 8 out of 10 Cats, about the parking fine in York was received with 900 laughing faces, as if they were hearing it for the first time. It was followed by jokes about the city where he lives in with his parents, Birmingham, about what he considers to be stupid people, such as the ones who keep wearing festival wristbands months after the festival ended, and even a stag due he had with his friends in Lisbon.

It was a pure delight to sit there, hear him and laugh. As a newcomer in comedy, Joe Lycett is certaintly here to stay. He definetely showed everyone this is the way it is and we all Lycett.

From a girl enchanted with comedy,

Mariana Fidalgo