Clearly experienced and armed with a backlog of jokes, Schaffer instead opts for off-colour conversation with the audience. Finding yourself in a one-on-one conversation with the comedian at a standup gig is awkward; Schaffer knows this and capitalises on it. Climbing over chairs in the small dark room at the top of The Counting House to get closer to his victim, he locks you with an intense stare and dares you to break as he talks to you for the next few minutes. While not laugh-out-loud funny, it is an entertaining 45 minutes that is over in a flash. That is not to say it should be any longer.

Laughing Horse at The Counting House, 4 – 28 Aug, 4.45pm (5.45pm), free, fpp109.
tw rating 3/5
[jfb]

Sections: by Julian Benson - ED2011 Comedy Reviews - tw rating 3/5 | Tags: Laughing Horse Free Festival, Lewis Schaffer

Also from ThreeWeeks...

1. ED2011 Comedy Review: The Infinite Delusions Of Victor Pope – Free (Victor Pope)

   When a comedy show is started with the phrase, “I’m not a comedian; I’m just a failed musician,” you start to wonder what kind of performance you are about to...

2. ED2011 Comedy Review: Movin’ On Up! With Politically Erect – Free (Politically Erect)

   Any comedian, or indeed group of comedians that slate the Daily Mail readership are okay with me. These boys do just that in a brutally honest comment on British attitudes...

3. ED2011 Comedy Review: James Acaster – Amongst Other Things (Phil McIntyre Entertainments)

   Getting overexcited about the simple things is James Acaster’s way of life. Gangly and geeky, he’s inoffensive and instantly likeable – the kind of man who can use the word...

GET ALERTS OF NEW THREEWEEKS CONTENT: Click here to sign up to the free ThreeWeeks email