Pegabovine: Polite Club

Review by Chris McCall | 13 Aug 2008

Davis Wateracre is one of the few comedians who will greet you at the door with a shake of the hand and an enquiry as to how you have been keeping. It is to be expected, however, as he is the man responsible for Polite Club. If Wateracre was wearing a cap, you could be sure he'd doff it to passing ladies. You wouldn't expect anything less.

Polite Club is a show that focuses on the often confusing and contradictory world of manners, a subject long held dear by comedians. Wateracre invites the audience to share their opinions on a range of social minefields, such as the best course of action when playing an intense online game of scrabble with a partner whom you actually want to finish with. Apparently, in this instance, the polite thing to do is to chuck them before you finish the game.

Of course, this is all done with the best possible taste no matter how lurid the topic - it is Polite Club after all - and Wateracre is charm personified throughout the proceedings. In between moral dilemmas, he treats us to some terrific comedy songs, some of which offer tremendous insight. His stand-up works less well, however, and his regular impressions of an eccentric Victorian planning to dig a tunnel to the other side of the world are as bizarre as they are pointless.

All in all, this is a well presented and enjoyable show, and a firm handshake should be offered in return to Mr Wateracre for hosting it.