Goat Comedy

Brighton has a reputation for being a comedy home, a hub of creative and unusual ideas, not afraid to take risks or look foolish, and to offer ‘safe spaces’ to play and experiment. Goat Comedy is one such place, and we are all the more richer for it.

An engaging line-up that mixed Harriet Braine’s confident and clever comic songs, with Kirsten Brown’s delightful and deadpan take on the world – distinctively personal and entertaining sets from each of them – along with the heady risk of new material from television favourite Joe Wilkinson, and a turn from Helen Duff that unfortunately suffered from too tangents left unexplored this time. And a stonking headline set from character turn John Kearns, who managed to combine an underdog’s arrogance with a successful comedian’s humility with a fetter-light touch and a quality and solid crescendo.

All wrapped up like a Ferrero Rocher’s nuts, sweets, and peculiarity with a golden casing of the ‘Goat’ sleeve – in this case, the season’s setting of a cruise liner. Ben Robson’s enthusiastic MC fended off the comically presented news that a leak has been sprung with great joie de vivre. The whole evening cultivating a real clubhouse camaraderie that unsurprisingly fostered gleeful regulars to outnumber newbies.

Mixing an original concept with well thought-out and risk-taking line-ups, capped with a nationally respected headliner, run by a friendly crew – another Brighton gem.

Dukebox Theatre, 10 November 2017

Rating: