Krater Comedy Club

Krater Comedy Club is so much of a Brighton institution it’s very easy to take it for granted. Don’t. As a weekend club compere Stephen Grant earns his title of ‘audience wrangler’ (picked up when working on the TV show QI) with bells on. Impressively quick, smart and above all entertaining, Grant demonstrated easily why he continues to win awards for compering.

George Egg opened proceedings, toying with the audience, playing with physical comedy and drawing us in with the skills of a storyteller. Not quite as quickly paced as the raucous audience may have liked, and splitting them in their tastes on a couple of occasions, Egg was likeable but maybe more suited to an audience prepared to use greater concentration.

Sean Collins took to the stage and filled it beautifully with all the stage presence of a Canadian Dave Allen. Perched on his stool, his measured delivery hid quite how rapidly peppered with laughs his tight set was. Sharing pearls of life-wisdom from his centre-stage throne, Collins played with the audience like putty in his hand.

Headliner Joe Lycett minced on and took the audience by the scruff of its neck and charmed us utterly. The star of a marvellous party, he handled his topics with deft comedic authority proving himself a hugely engaging storyteller with ever a cheeky acid barb waiting in the wings. It’s little surprise his profile keeps rising amongst TV bookers.

Krater Comedy Club is not exclusively the domain of stag do’s and office outings – it’s a top quality comedy club for all, carefully programmed, tightly conducted and beautifully executed. A great highlight to any weekend.

Komedia, 8 March 2013

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