It was our Halloween show at The Bell on Wednesday and what a fabulously spooky fun evening it was. First to the stage was the batty Amber Phillips (ref to headdress) and her linguistic and gloriously funny day job. Next was the glorious Neuroses (Robbie Fox) and the comedy whodunit that had too many potential killers. Nigel Wolfin then told us just why the 70’s was a hard generation to grow up in, but not if you had IBS. It was then over to Charlie Firth, who robbed his father of his nautical dreams before Vicky Kuperman told us she was born a woman but identifies as an arsehole, and so perfectly pronounced. Next was Michael Lloyd and how to avoid accidentally supporting the KKK. Gareth Beavis then told us of the problem with being a soul taker. Hot on Gareth’s heels was Arabella Barrington-Carr (aka Catherine Lamb), who’s recently had to change the sheets for her first disgraced Royal. Closing the first half was Sonya Mathews who moved here during the Bush administration because she thought the US had lost its mind. To which American said, “Hold my drink!”
Kicking off the second half was a little Houdini tribute with some swallowed razor blades before, and not ironically, Death (aka Alastair Sadler). Death (pictured) gave us an insight into his family business and why he loves a drone strike. Or as he calls then: click and collect. After Death was Lee Stephen, who could have been a Bruce if his parents hadn’t rather wisely changed their minds. The one and only Sweary Poppins (aka Victoria Dyson) then told the room how to sit properly and how to rap. Gill Lyng then told us how to swim with one tit before Chris Cowan told us why HR at work might be emailing him any day soon. Closing the show was Max Cohen, an act from New York who adores his kids so much he’d love them even if they turned out to be serial killers.