Bent Double

Zoe Lyons’ hosting skills are second to none and who better to raise the atmosphere in the room with a great opening set in which she manages to spin the whole issue of leaving the EU into a positive idea that maybe she might soon be able to get a Thai bride. It’s little wonder that she’s getting the national recognition that she has long deserved.
The first guest was Rosie Wilby, her spin on being gay and being just that bit older hit a lot of truths. Pulling out a Bayeux Tapestry when all around are pulling out iPads and Kindles had me crying with laughter. But it was the Pussy Rub tester gag and line about fumbled sex (after three attempts my vagina will lock) that had the whole room laughing, and the surreal idea of her crouching in a gym locker until someone opens it then shouting “You Own Me!” – the locker Goblin – that finished me off.
Lou Sanders started shakily, but soon turned what seemed like nerves into a set of weird, self doubting hilarity. Peppered with dodgy ideas she was at times surreal, often edgy but ultimately adorable. Her declaration that she was the prettiest girl in her class, then explaining that she was home schooled made me cry with laughter.
Headliner Tom Allen is good, confident, camp and classy and his set was delivered with speed and style – except that it did feel like he was rushing through the well honed material with an eye on his watch and a train to catch, understandable I guess given the state of rail services. The long tale of leisure centres was very well constructed but as a man of a certain age I felt that I was missing something, having never ridden a ‘flume’ myself.
All in all Bent Double is a great night of comedy, mainly delivered by gay men and women, to a mixed audience that lap it up and swallow!
Komedia
3 July
Andrew Kay
4 stars