Anyone seeing Alexei Sayle?

[Shit Good Nose]

He's back to doing standup for the first time in years and I'm a bit unsure about whether or not to go (it's £25 - which is reasonable these days - but also he's apparently only doing an hour).

Will it be an hour of Thatcherism hate, or will it be an hour of scouse silliness I wonder.

Anyone going?

[the]

I've seen him a number of times since he started doing material again - some shows, some sets in stand up clubs, sometimes doing WIP material from his autobiographies, and been to a few Imaginary Sandwich Bars. Well worth it every time, a master at his craft - surprised you're even asking if it'd be worth it TBH.

[Shit Good Nose]

surprised you're even asking if it'd be worth it TBH.

Mainly because I'd be going on my own (I can't drum up any other interest), but also because I don't know if I can sit through solid Thatcherism hate comedy from 40 years ago. 

Not that I love Thatcher, and I'm a big Alexei fan, I just prefer silly Alexei over angry political Alexei.

[the]

What leads to you think he'll be doing 40 year old material? Believe it or not he does write new routines.

[Shit Good Nose]

I'm not saying he'll be doing 40 year old material, but last time I saw him doing proper standup (admittedly nearly twenty years ago) it mainly consisted of jokes about the tories, which I found a bit boring (I'm not big on political comedy - ANY kind of political comedy - just isn't my bag), so £25 for an hour is a bit rich for the blood when you've got those doubts, as well as being the weird guy who has turned up alone.


EDIT - sold out anyway, so that's made the decision for me.

[bgmnts]

Well any tory material would be quite relevant now.

Although why would you plump for Alexei Sayle if you dont like political comedy?

[the]

Alexei Sayle's material is and has always been a mixture of the silly and the cerebral (with some political and historical comment) but he does it in the right mix, and I think you might have forgotten the fact that he's funny with it, he's a gagsmith.

Now you're not going, to get a flavour of his modern material you can listen to Imaginary Sandwich Bar.

[Shit Good Nose]

Although why would you plump for Alexei Sayle if you dont like political comedy?

As the said - silly and cerebral.  There was hardly any overt political stuff in his 90s standup, but when I saw him in the early 00s it was pretty much 90 minutes of political griping, hardly any of which I found funny.  But that's not a criticism of Sayle - like I said I'm not a fan of political comedy, just as plenty of peeps on here can't stand one-liner comedy.


And the - thanks, I'll take a listen.  What I really want is a proper release of All New... and Merry Go Round, but I can't see that happening.

[the]

I have no point of reference for his material at that stage in his career, but the fact that around then he focused on being a novelist and sacked off doing comedy for over a decade suggests that he may not have been happy with comedy at the time.

Anyway, if you keep disbelieving me when I say 'his stuff isn't a load of political griping' then there's not much I can do about that.

[Shit Good Nose]

Anyway, if you keep disbelieving me when I say 'his stuff isn't a load of political griping' then there's not much I can do about that.

Huh?  I never said one single time, let alone kept saying, that I didn't believe you.  What I said - very clearly - was that I saw him in the 90s (several times) and it was great, and I saw him again (once) twenty years ago and I didn't like it, hence me asking what this tour is likely to bring.

[Malcy]

I wanted to go to this as well but no Scottish dates. I'm with you Shit Good Nose. Would love to see him but only if it was his daft stuff. Comedy for me is an escape from politics shite so wouldn't want to see him, or any comedian really, do that.

[Shit Good Nose]

I wanted to go to this as well but no Scottish dates. I'm with you Shit Good Nose. Would love to see him but only if it was his daft stuff. Comedy for me is an escape from politics shite so wouldn't want to see him, or any comedian really, do that.

I'm infamous for hating Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister, which is tantamount to burnable witchcraft.

The closest I've ever got is Armistice, but that's political comedy in the same way that Athletico Mince is about football.

[Malcy]

I'm infamous for hating Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister, which is tantamount to burnable witchcraft.

The closest I've ever got is Armistice, but that's political comedy in the same way that Athletico Mince is about football.

I like bits of Prime & Minister but it bored me. Same way I can't get into The Thick Of It. Football can fuck off from comedy as well!

Would be great if Sayle & John Sparkes would team up again and do a tour of really weird comedy. I'd be front row for that.

[BlodwynPig]

Nowt north of Liverpool???

[Thomas]

I wouldn't say I'm 'seeing' him, we're just fucking - so go for it.

[Shit Good Nose]

I wouldn't say I'm 'seeing' him, we're just fucking

For some time now I understand.

[Captain Crunch]

Now you're not going, to get a flavour of his modern material you can listen to Imaginary Sandwich Bar.

Which now must be referred to as the award winning Imaginary Sandwich Bar.

But I'd echo the urge to see him if you get the chance, always superb.