CityLife

I'm not sure if  some of the other reviewers were at the same show as me. If you liked the jovial observational humour of the first DVD and his Live at the Apollo appearances this is more of the same. The MEN is an intimidating and vast venue and so there is no audience interaction but I thoroughly enjoyed the evening and it left me chortling all the way home. The routine is more polished this time round and the jokes based on similar themes to Live and Laughing. He's sold out 4 nights at the Arena so there will be high expectations and for me he didn't disappoint.

Report it

Was disappointed by Michael McIntyre last night, poor value, 1 hour and 10 minutes for £30, most comedians I have seen recently its more like 2 hours for £15, and it was probably the worst material I have seen him produce, not that it was bad but it wasn't his usual high standard

Report it

I went to see Michael McIntyre because he makes me laugh and he did not disappoint me on Tuesday in the MEN.  From the moment he skipped on to the stage to the last second he brought tears of joy to my eyes.  90% of his material was new to me which is no mean feat as I watch him whenever I can on the TV and internet.  His humerous view of life mirrors my own so I may be biased on the subject but I really enjoyed the show.  I would not spend my hard earned cash on rubbish and consider this as money well spent.  Well done Michel.

Report it

What a desperately disappointing evening.  Upwards of 12 000 expectant faces all ready to be whisked away from the troubles of the credit crunch and the onset of Autumn weather (yes, it's October already - can you believe it?) and all paying £30 per head. 

McIntyre offered lame observational humour more reminiscent of Tom O'Connor or Jasper Carrot from thirty years ago.  It is just not enough to skip and smile.  There was little real engagement with the audience and as a consequence little in the way of warmth.  This set showed a man far from the top of his game.  If this is the best it gets then Michael is snookered.

Report it

IT’S amazing the effect a bit of telly can have on a comedian’s career.

One minute you’re playing in the back room of a pub to a man eating a bag of pork scratchings and the landlord’s maiden aunt, the next you’re in the local large scale theatre with 2,000 people hanging on to your every word and coyly tinkling with laughter. Very civilised.

That’s possibly a bit of an exaggeration in regard to Michael McIntyre’s career. He hasn’t just sprung from open spot to solo gigs, he’s put the work in as one of the many acts that has been working the circuit week after week for years.

But it has taken appearances on BBC’s Mock The Week and Have I Got News for You plus The Charlotte Church Show and Richard and Judy - not to mention his many radio appearances - for the country to notice and decide he’s the latest hot property in comedy.

His experience on the comedy circuit was very much in evidence at The Lowry; particularly in the impromptu reactions required when it comes to chatting to the several latecomers that enter the room as he observes the three basic methods by which people let the tardy one past - the complete stand-up, the seated twizzle and the useless back arch.

Traffic jams

Moving into his material the opening section is a little disappointingly obvious; reactions to traffic jams and speeding on the motorway feature.

Yet in amongst the more pedestrian of routines there are some lovely lines – on a car overtaking from behind while stuck following a tractor his mother notes ‘he won’t get there any faster,’ McIntyre bemoans ‘he will, he’s doing 90 and I’ve travelling at 4mph and I’ve got hay in my hair.’

Elsewhere there are nicely sustained observations on the no mans land between Christmas and New Year - the only time you would consider eating a vegetable sandwich plus the National Savings and Investments phone line staffed by OAPS.

It would be churlish to knock McIntyre as he delivers a show with such gusto (so much so that he dislocated his shoulder a few weeks ago in Wolverhampton) and is one of those comedians who looks like he is thoroughly enjoying his work.

What did you think? Have your say.

Report it