August 31, 2025  Chortle

Review of Mad Ron Presents - Identity Theft

He’s a bit of a shady character is Mad Ron, no stranger to dodgy knock-offs. So no wonder his version of a game show involves hookey versions of TV hits. This charmingly cockeyed hour revels in its loose stupidity, with catchphrases, cornball gags and dumb puns given the full tacky treatment, no one taking anything even vaguely seriously. The deranged, knockabout vibe, mixing absurdity, puns, and stupidly exaggerated character work is reminiscent of Vic and Bob, albeit with material that’s more deliberately cheesy and less surreally inventive, Yet the smalltime gangster at the centre of it all – Uxbridge’s third hardest man – is a still presence rather than being the epitome of primetime TV pizzazz. His deadpan is supposed to indicate a quiet intimidation, but it can be overwhelmed by the wild rabble-rousing of his sidekick – a reincarnation of Bernard Manning played by Che Burnley. But Mad Ron, the much underrated creation of Steve Lee, does bring the jokes, with wordplay aplenty as he introduces the sort of games he supposedly played in prison to while away the hours. No opportunity for a daft gag is missed, with Mad Ron underselling his lines and ‘Manning’ overselling his. Identify Theft refers to a fake identity passed around the room, which can be won or lost on certain games. The mechanics are largely irrelevant and if the contestants, and even the hosts, are prone to tripping over the format, it doesn’t much matter either, it just feeds into the chaos. Indeed, some of the games are quite demanding, requiring too many improv or memory skills of an audience who came out to relax. To reveal much about the games would give away the punchlines, but expect an off-brand Mr And Mrs, a twist on Deal Or No Deal, and a round designed to test whether you really do know your arse from your elbow. In one of the longer sections the show’s third wheel, Roger Swift, presents an array of visual puns with the chosen players charged with guessing what phrase is being created. It’s basically a physical version of those Dingbat games you get in newspapers, and keeps the visual gags coming thick and fast. I can envisage this as a TikTok channel, with punters being stopped in the street to solve the silly riddles. But in a small, noisy, later-night room this just keeps the onslaught of jokes coming, contributing to the rowdily fun atmosphere. The game show concept may have its flaws, but that sense of mucking about is powerful, backed with jokes that are probably better than you think. But also sometimes much, much worse. Click Here

August 21, 2025  The Student

Review of Adam Greene: Wizard of Ozempic

Whilst the show ostensibly did not go completely according to plan, Adam Greene still successfully entertained his audience, as laughter was a constant force in the venue. Despite the overbearing heat in what was essentially a glorified cupboard rammed with chairs, a disappointed sigh erupted at the end of the hilarious Wizard of Ozempic. Greene combines the age-old phenomenon of fat jokes with modern culture references of Ozempic to create a witty tale about his life. Dripping in both sweat and comedy, Greene cleverly interacted with his audience, hitting the perfect level of audience participation and even stopping to ask if an audience member was okay after sneezing a few times. Through his attentive nature, Greene established an intimate atmosphere, truly enticing his audience into his life story, as you could vividly imagine each tale he shared. From his doctor’s appointments, to him carrying his chihuahua in a bag on the streets of London, you couldn’t help but laugh. This particular tale drew overwhelming fits of cackling and chortling from the audience as Greene’s wonderous storytelling emphasised the ridiculousness and absurdity of such an image. Additionally, the show embodied a typical comedy set as Greene embraced the brash, arrogant stereotype of a comedian as he detailed the workshopping process of creating and writing a show for the fringe. As a part of this he explained how his performance had very little to do with the classic film The Wizard of Oz which the show’s title is a pun of. To accommodate for this, he made some stilted jokes related to the film and moved on in a hilarious manner, which demonstrated how much a show can develop and change from its original thought. Overall, Adam Greene’s The Wizard of Ozempic is a witty hour of poking fun and crowd interaction infused with contemporary cultural references. Consequently, it is a wonderful hour of fun, even if it has nothing to do with The Wizard of Oz, and even though there was no wizard hiding in a cupboard for the grand finale of the show… Click Here

August 16, 2025

Review of Cheekykita – Batshit

Review

I haven’t laughed this hard at any show all year. It’s rare to see a performer take risks this bold and pull them off with such conviction. Cheekykita proves that genuine absurdism isn’t dead—it’s flapping around City Café in a bat suit in all it’s magnificent glory. ***** Click Here

August 13, 2025  Derek awards

Review of Cheekykita – Batshit

Review

1 hour of crazy humour and utter silliness you never know what will happen next, but you will laugh a lot! Click Here

August 3, 2025  The scotsman

Review of Cheekykita – Batshit

Review

save £350 for oasis ticket and have much more fun seeing cheekykita instead!much fun for anyone who appricieates crazy" Kate Copstick Click Here

August 3, 2025  The Scotsman

Review of Cheekykita – Batshit

Review-The Scotsman

f"un here for anyone who appriciates crazy,save yourself £350 for a oasis ticket and have much more fun seeng cheekykita instead" Kate Copstick