Dane Baptiste: Reasonable Doubts, Epsom
Over in the States, talking about the supposed differences between white and black people is such a staple of stand-up that it’s become a cliche. It’s a style of comedy efficiently mocked by The Simpsons, who once showed a hack comic delivering a “white guys drive like this, black guys drive like this” routine. In this country, we’re altogether less comfortable making jokes about that kind of thing, which means any British comedian who wants to tackle the subject of race head-on has to take a more adult and sophisticated approach if they want to keep the audience onside. Dane Baptiste has the ability to do just that: he’s got a keen but not over-intellectualised awareness of the issues facing young black guys like him, and the instinctive funny bones to make universally accessible humour out of it. Baptiste’s first show netted him a best newcomer nomination at the 2014 Edinburgh festival fringe and marked him out among TV talent scouts as a definite one to watch. With his own BBC sitcom series in the works, it seems he’s very much delivering on his early promise.
Epsom Playhouse, Fri; touring to 7 May
Omid Djalili, On tour
Most people should be familiar with Omid Djalili. He’s been a valuable supporting actor in everything from Sex And The City 2 to Dickensian, while his comforting, faintly geezerish tones have voiced an array of adverts. His own stand-up has perhaps not quite had the recognition it deserves (while he briefly had a solo BBC1 series, it never quite caught the public imagination) but he’s a proper showman with the charisma needed to bend even the biggest rooms to his will. His sets draw to some degree on his Iranian heritage, but he isn’t a comedian determined to air his take on the Middle East conflict. Instead, he offers a kind of pure showbiz escapism, the chance to leave your troubles at the door and revel in some unpretentious, properly laugh-out-loud entertainment.
Cutty Sark Studio Theatre, SE10, Sun; The Witham, Barnard Castle, Tue; The Beggar’s Theatre, Millom, Wed, Colchester Arts Centre, Fri; touring to 14 May
Russell Howard Andover, London
There shouldn’t really be any mystery regarding the secret of Russell Howard’s success. He’s the mate we all want to have: a guy who can invariably find a way to lift your spirits with a funny comment. All of which isn’t to downplay his considerable skills as a comic. He’s got a knack of spinning great stories out of the most minor incidents, especially when they concern the antics of his eccentric family or the even more peculiar inhabitants of his native Bristol. Even though he’s acquired considerable fame thanks to his appearances first on Mock The Week and more recently his own Good News show, you get the feeling he’s retained his sense of proportion and remains the down-to-earth bloke who first wowed audiences more than a decade ago. He’ll need to keep his head screwed on, since this low-key run of dates is acting as a sort-of work in progress for a full bells-and-whistles world tour in 2017.
The Lights, Andover, Sun; Dingwalls, NW1, Thu
