Comedy: Praying for a laugh.
SIMON BLIGH & IAN STONEBligh claims that as a 15-year-old Liverpudlian schoolboy, his headmaster told him he was heading straight for hell. Now how did the man know young Simon was destined to be a stand up comedian? Perhaps then it is no wonder that Bligh is obsessed in one way or another with religion. His new show - previewed this week for the Edinburgh Festival - is subtly titled Zips, Whips And The Bloody Chains Of Christ. Bligh's father was a "mad Catholic communist", he tells us, while his own leanings were more towards "Kung Fu-mad Buddhism" than the Vatican. Indeed this isn't so much stand up as the History channel distilled through the eyes of one seriously twisted individual.
As for Ian Stone, the religious thing hangs heavy round his neck too. He was born of an "average" Jewish family and was for a long time torn between pleasing his parents and having fun. The latter won out in the end.
Stone's Jewishness remains a strong theme. His new show, which previews this weekend at the Chicken Shed Theatre and the East Dulwich Tavern, is called A Little Piece Of Kike. Briefly try to imagine Jim Davidson covering the same ground and you realise just how ironic and post-modern we've all become.
Monday. The Comedy Store. pounds 8/pounds 12. Tel: 0207 344 0234. Plus selected venues.
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| Title Annotation: | Features |
|---|---|
| Author: | Quinn, Thomas |
| Publication: | The Mirror (London, England) |
| Date: | Jul 21, 2000 |
| Words: | 227 |
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