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Mark Allen is an articulate man. Mark Allen is an engaging man. Mark Allen is a man dedicated to research, and it’s all of these that make his latest show enjoyable. Having decided to research man’s relationship with animals he embarks upon a PowerPoint presentation that encompasses both the underground group of ‘Furries’ – people who dress as the animal they believe they should have been born as – and his own pet cat. Fun to watch, but provoking more smiles than laugh-out-loud guffaws, Mark is a guest lecturer you wish could always teach at your school.
Upstairs At Three And Ten, 30 October
3/5
Victoria Nangle

Let’s get something straight: Mark E Smith IS The Fall. Without him, this legendary post-punk band’s ever-revolving line-up is just a talented tribute band. Tonight, Smith isn’t here. Okay; his shambling, inebriated body is present, but there’s none of the anarchic majesty, none of the fire of old. Raucous, spot-on (musically at least) versions of the likes of ‘Latchkey Kid’ are ruined by the barely-conscious vocalist slurring and strolling about the stage like a surly drunk turning up alone to punk rock karaoke. It speaks volumes that when he can’t sing for one song, Smith’s stand-in sounds infinitely better than this spent force.
Hove Town Hall, 2 November
2/5
Nick Aldwinckle

Writers and performers of BBC7′s The Brothers Faversham and repeated stormer at The Edinburgh Festival, this very talented trio returned with the same show that was so well received at The Brighton Festival and the Edinburgh Festival. Delivering it with a freshness and polished performance that gave no trace of the fatigue you might expect by now, the tale of an Oyster god conspiracy in Victorian London was as entertaining as ever. Bring us back more!
Pavilion Theatre, 25 October
5/5
Victoria Nangle

The audience filling the Brighton Centre certainly was big, but so was the performance. Lee Evans provided two hours of solid quick-fire observational humour acted out with a variety of silly voices, silly faces and running around. Evans rampaged through a thousand everyday topics: supermarkets, driving, paying bills over the phone… hardly ever using the personal pronoun, “I“. This became a bit odd when talking about relationships: “You know your wife. You know when she comes in the room and says…“ No, I don’t. The everyman, everyday approach left him bereft of a personal viewpoint or insight, but this, and the energetic performance are key to his mainstream appeal. Alright.
Brighton Centre, 25 November
3/5
Jim Holland