Rich Hall

Review by Ben Judge | 15 Aug 2007

There are few comedians on any circuit or in any city in the world that have the reputation and talent of Rich Hall. As far as stand-up is concerned he's just about done it all: his writing credentials stretch from Saturday Night Live to the best-selling Sniglets, he's appeared on just about every TV panel show in the UK, won a Perrier Award at the Fringe and was even the inspiration behind a Simpsons character.

His gruff, grumpy demeanor hides a playful sense of humour. Hall is always good fun, always self-depracating and always a safe-bet for laughs. It is, however, deeply unfortunate that this particular outing at this year's Fringe falls short of spectacular.

Perhaps the main problem is that Hall completely lacks any sence of coherency in this set. There is no over-arching theme or trail of thought, rather it's a particularly mundane showcase for his lesser material. His audience banter is always fun, but once he moves on to prepared material, it feels as though you have to actively try to be entertained. Nearly every laugh is forced.

He treads on especially familiar ground. To any frequent Fringe-goer, anti-Bush and Glasgow Airport jokes have long worn thin, pedalled by just about every sub-par comedian in Edinburgh, and even Hall appears to be tired of them. His set is only ever lifted above the mundane when he talks of home and the eccentricities of Montana life. It is here where his comedy feels warm and personal, where it feels like proper Rich Hall material.

Testament to his lasting impression on Edinburgh audiences, he closes to shouts of "sing a song," a nod to his award-winning Otis Lee Crenshaw character. He responds that Otis might come back "in a few years." What I would have given to see him tonight.