Comedy: Prodigal son

Seann Walsh is back in town, back to his roots, and back at Komedia

Eight and a bit years ago Seann Walsh was already a known face around Komedia. He hadn’t performed a gig in his life, but the Brighton boy was such a comedy fan that bar staff and security alike knew him from the frequency of his visits to Krater at the weekends, as well as the other comedy nights the venue featured regularly. He didn’t make it in to Komedia for the last class of Jill Edwards’ Comedy Course because he was too hungover having celebrated his twenty-first birthday the night before. He made it to every other class though.

A few years later and Seann Walsh is a known face around Komedia, because he was the host of monthly hot ticket Comic Boom. He compered the evening that had previously given him a shot on that much-seen downstairs stage with first short spots and then slightly longer ones. It’s a great night that features a well known headliner and some of the best up and coming newer acts on the circuit, and Walsh was nominated for the 2011 Chortle Best Compere gong for hosting it. The boy done good.
And now he’s back again. After being nominated for the Fosters Edinburgh Comedy Awards in 2013 for his show ‘The Lie-In King’, Walsh’s show last year was a coming of age one simply called ‘28’. With an appropriate Adele-like photo to go with the title that’s not dissimilar to the singer’s award-winning album, the show toured all over the country last year winning really favourable reviews en route. I mean, four and five star reviews all the way.

Last October the show came to town as a part of the Brighton Comedy Festival, filling up the Corn Exchange. This week it’s back. Full circle, Seann Walsh is now actually 29 years old but bringing his show ‘28’ to Komedia. Back where it all began.
So, maybe you might like to pootle along to this homecoming gig on Thursday. The TV and radio star, award-winning comic, actor, talking head (and talking advertising reptile) and comedy compere is back at a venue he has every reason to love, and to love him back. It certainly should be a good night.
Seann Walsh: 28, Komedia, Thursday 9 July, 8pm, £10, www.komedia.co.uk/brighton