Review: Adam Bloom, Chris Norton-Walker, Diane Morgan & John Smith – Infinity Bar, Sunderland
Adam Bloom
The Grinning Idiot Comedy Club returned from their summer holidays this past weekend – and were welcomed at a lovely new venue in Sunderland. Infinity Bar, in Holmeside, offers an upstairs function room that’s great for comedy, and with a promising line-up announced I was quietly confident we would have an enjoyable night. Sadly, a few morons in the crowd almost ruined it for everyone.
Host John Smith tried to establish a relationship with the misbehaving few early on and got some laughs when he turned to his scripted material. But even the most assured of compéres would struggle with such a petulant audience and, at that point, I feared Diane Morgan, Chris Norton-Walker and Adam Bloom had a tough night ahead.
Diane Morgan avoids the usual trappings of a weekend club comic and delivers an assured twenty minute set, with flurries of good writing. Her self-deprecating shtick about living alone and ‘the seven signs of aging’ strike chords of recognition but importantly they still feel like original angles. Likewise, her closing routine on ‘pretty and popular deaths’ is well observed stuff and arguably her strongest piece of material. A decent set from Morgan, then, despite the subdued response from the crowd.
You’d think the large frame of Chris Norton-Walker might deter hecklers, but there’ll always be one or two morons in a crowd who think they’re funnier than the comedian. Norton-Walker is a relatively new act, rough around the edges with his delivery, and so it’s no surprise the hostility in the room affected his performance.
That said, his material lacked bite. Norton-Walker’s ten minutes on stage was filled with decent wordplay – some of it well received, like his relationships routine at the end of his set – but that’s part of the problem here. There’s no variety in the set up or the punch line. It’s predictable stuff that, should you watch enough live comedy, you’ll hear at gigs up and down the country; because unfortunately almost anyone can write a good pun.
But while Diane Morgan and Chris Norton-Walker were both visibly distracted by what is usually a pleasant crowd at The Grinning Idiot, headliner Adam Bloom hardly gave them time to breathe, never mind heckle.
He’s one of my favourite acts; and I can’t for the life of me think of a comic out there with a higher laughter rate than him. (If you can, please leave a comment below.) Sharp gags about his new family and marriage were well received by the crowd and are written with an expert precision, a detail both punter and reviewer can finally appreciate in harmony.
The Grinning Idiot’s next outing in Sunderland is at The Barnes on Saturday 8th October, with Ben Norris and Ian Cognito. Tickets are available on their website here.
The Grinning Idiot Comedy Club are part of Dave’s Comedy Society, who provide fans with 2 for 1 tickets for shows up and down the country. A full list of the comedy clubs involved can be found on Dave’s website.
