If you want to judge the impact of TV hit Saturday Night Live UK on British comedy look at the spectacular opening night of the Roundhouse Comedy Festival. Compere Paddy Young was virtually unknown a year ago, while SNL writer Celya AB was one of the gig's stand-out stand-ups.
Young had the relatively easy task of warming up an audience ready for fun. His stage persona is much lower status than on SNL. He bemoaned his life, his flatshare and lack of popularity: "I've been to four stag dos. Invited to one." He might play the gatecrashing loser, but Young is clearly a winner.
First act Phil Wang is clearly going places. Peckham to be precise. In his playful set he explained how he has just moved there and realised the reason it is cool is because it is "half nice, half-horrible." He recently had an experience which encapsulated SE15's split personality. He was chased and had to seek refuge in an artisan bakery.
Rosie Jones quickly won over the crowd by declaring her passion for gravy, before complaining how hard being a comedian is compared to being a rock musician. A band can endlessly recycle their hits, comics have to keep delivering new material. Jones was spiky and irreverent and actually contradicted her own theory. I'd happily to hear her material again.
Celya AB is already a circuit hit and with that SNL writing credit under her belt she is moving up a league. Her French roots give her a unique perceptive on British behaviour, quirky but always accessible. Why, she asked, is it acceptable to eat a whole pizza but not a whole quiche? Stylishly magnifique.
Headliner Frank Skinner made comedy look ridiculously easy, generating hilarity from the most inconsequential banter or contriving inspired punchlines from such dusty references – who else remembers A Question of Sport's Mystery Guest? – they should be on the Antiques Roadshow.
At 69 – "even my age is a joke" – Skinner is a master. He might play the fool, mocking his creaky knees or fretting that Alan Carr is more famous, but he is merely toying with his fans like a killer whale toying with a seal pup. He recalled finally marrying his partner after asking her four times and getting the answers "No, no, no and why?" As for his stand-up, the answer is yes every time.
The Roundhouse Comedy Festival runs until August 18. Visit www.roundhouse.org.uk
