Matt Forde: The Political Party, London
Where so many topical comics adopt the pose of a cynical outsider, wishing a plague on the houses of all the major political parties, Matt Forde does things a little differently. He approaches current affairs from the point of view of an unrepentant, dyed-in-the-wool Blairite, and has the kind of devotion to New Labour that blokes more commonly feel about their football teams. Oddly enough, it’s a point of view that’s almost never represented in comedy. While there are plenty of ultra-lefties out there, and even the occasional rightwinger, such as Andrew Lawrence, you don’t tend to hear the voice of the orthodox centre-left very often. It’s a take that seems particularly relevant right now, as Labour struggles to come to terms with defeat and ponders a move back towards the right. Forde is likely to have plenty to say on this and many other matters as he records his podcast, featuring a mix of comedy and chat with leading political figures. In the past he’s had Alastair Campbell and Nigel Farage; this month it’s Neil Kinnock.
St James Theatre, SW1, Wed
Wil Hodgson, Edinburgh
In some ways it’s understandable that the world at large remains reluctant to acknowledge the genius of Wil Hodgson. He doesn’t look like a star, and he doesn’t perform like one either, with a monotone delivery and an unwillingness to look the audience in the eye. He also doesn’t deliver anything resembling a punchline. But the stories he tells – about the elements of 80s pop culture that shape his outlook, the weird ways men feel forced to behave, and the attritional struggle for survival that passes for daily life in his native Chippenham – are some of the funniest you’ll ever hear. Critics often talk about comics having an eye for detail, but in Hodgson’s case it’s obsessional. In the space of an hour, you’ll learn an immense amount about his passions – including wrestling and My Little Pony – as well as finding out more about the social anthropology of Wiltshire than you ever bargained for.
The Stand, Thu & Fri
Bill Maher, London
Long before Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert took their first faltering steps in the world of TV satire, Bill Maher was already there. For more than two decades he’s provided a weekly blast of anti-establishment wisecracking on US cable, first with Politically Incorrect, and these days through Real Time With Bill Maher. Although his Republican-bashing and virulent hatred of religion mean he’s likely to connect with British progressives, Maher’s a slightly more complicated figure than some of his satirical contemporaries: he supports the death penalty and is hugely combative when it comes to the perceived fight between western ideas and Islam. Perhaps it’s best to think of him as stand-up’s equivalent of Martin Amis: gloriously funny when on the right subject, but you have to be prepared for the fact that, every so often, he’s going to say something troubling.
Eventim Apollo, W6, Sat
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