Frankie Boyle
Leicester Square Theatre
29/04/15
Controversial and often unlikable Frankie Boyle, known for his taboo subjects and risqué jokes took the main stage at Leicester Square Theatre. Known for sell out shows in larger venues, this small and intimate theatre was an unusual setting for the intense comic.
Beginning with a warm up act, the Canadian comedian was loud and hilarious. He brought on subjects that were important and topical but risked making crude and comical comments on these. His performance was an interesting style; he often walked the stage and used a shouting to pause technique, giving us time to laugh and take in the often valid point he had made. There was not a lot of audience interaction, mostly until the end which seemed a shame in such a small venue, however not all comics take that route and this did not change the atmosphere.
Finally, we listen to Boyle himself. In casual clothing, this gig is known to be a trial and error run of new material. Beginning with some of his already existing material, we were brought into and warmed up within his sense of humour. Not for the faint hearted, jokes petered on subjects that would not be welcomed in usual society, and this sense of taboo made the comedy even funnier. The humour that Boyle exhumes caters for a specific audience, however his popularity is evident by the constant hysterics in the room showed that British Society has a more risqué mind than we are professed to have by the media and stereotypes.
Boyle’s new work features comedy for a show that is soon to air. The privilege of hearing these and the intimacy with his judgement of whether the joke would be good enough or not or even be dumbed down enough was interesting to watch, making each person feel a part of his decision-making process.
Leicester Square theatre is well-known for giving space for comics, new and well-known to perform new material. While tickets sell quickly, it is well worth keeping an eye on these for such an intimate and relaxed evening, something that is unusual in entertainment scenes.