Compere for the evening, on this first Travestees show of 2006, was the likeable Londoner Geoff Norcott. His observational comedy - despite following some well-trodden paths, eg drugs, computer games (including Somerset gangsters driving combine harvesters in Grand Theft Auto) and going to the gym - often presented a refreshing new angle. There was also a segment on the TV programme Super Nanny. His Lord of the Rings Gollum/Smeagol routine, complete with realistic voices and actions, was very funny indeed. Most impressive of all was his working of the crowd, with some light-hearted rants against Bridgwater and Shepton Mallet, his teasing of the alleged drunk from London who had become lost and ended up in town, and his handling of an evasive "novelist" in the audience. "So, you're an author. What do you write on then?" he asked. "Well, this is Glastonbury, you know. If you just walk down the high street, you'll have an idea of what I write on," came the supposedly clever response, to which Geoff immediately retorted: "What? Hemp paper, I suppose." His spot-on piece about darts tournaments, the players and the punters also scored a bullseye: "180, 160... you need to lower your blood pressure mate!" Nevertheless, I felt he peaked too early. It appeared he had used up all his best material during the first half of the show, so that as the end of the evening approached, he seemed content to jump on stage to pretty much just introduce the next act, before leaping off again. Brendan Dempsey Irishman Brendan Dempsey was the first act of the evening, and his material went down well. He is perhaps best known for his appearances in Channel 4's Father Ted, as well as in the films Waking Ned, Hooligan and even Gangs of New York. In his routine, he touched on only two major topics, but used these as springboards to branch out in all directions. Firstly, the weather. This led to discussions on, amongst other things, the brutal nature of the Scottish climate, the seemingly monthly hurricanes in the southern states of America, global warming, and skin cancer. Secondly, religion. This topic encompassed gods, al-Qaeda, mobile phones, drug-addicted sniffer dogs, bag handlers (about whom he was mercilessly harsh in attacking the stupidity of), and being reincarnated as a nut. Tim Telling Tim Telling, from Tetbury in Gloucestershire, was the evening's guest spot, and he filled his allotted five minutes well, despite appearing somewhat nervous at first. Bald and bearded, he immediately rejected being a Michael Eavis lookalike or a Taliban young farmer. His material, despite not bringing forth anything new or original, was extremely enjoyable, as he touched upon his upbringing, family, and the film Brokeback Mountain. Whether or not he becomes well-known in the comedy circuit... well, only Tim will Tell (ahem!). Ivor Dembina Ivor Dembina, a north London Jewish comedian, shuffled on stage next, bespectacled and wearing a baseball cap. To me, he looked like a cross between Woody Allen and David Kelly (the actor who played builder O'Reilly in Fawlty Towers, and who was also one of the main characters in the aforementioned Waking Ned). Immediately, he proudly showed off a very basic birthday card made for him by his son. "Not bad for a 17-year-old," he muttered, before stuffing it back into his jacket pocket. Most of his material thereafter focused on Judaism, from his childhood growing up in Finchley (and at eight years old winning arguments with his teacher on why being British and being Jewish should not be mutually exclusive) to getting stoned with his Rabbi. There was also a serious undertone midway through the set. "I'm one of those Jews who believe we should give up the occupied territories," he stated before adding: "But I think we should hang on to New York." He then began recounting his visit to the West Bank on a peace-finding mission (he didn't find much peace), which culminated in his confrontation with retribution-seeking Israeli soldiers in Jenin, outside the home of the Palestinian family of a man who had recently carried out a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv. He also enlightened us on his failed attempt to write a joke which would solve the Middle East crisis, before finishing off with a sordid story about how, in an encounter with a Jewish prostitute named Ruby, he finally met his match in his business dealings. Jeff Innocent The evening was rounded off by shaven-headed, East-Ender Jeff Innocent. Apparently, he used to wear a suit on stage until his daughter pointed out he looked like a thug. So instead, he was clad in blue denim, which has the side-effect of making him come across as a gay country and western bouncer, with the addition of a ring in his left ear, which would put most pirates to shame. His material is far more perceptive and spot-on than that of the cockney-wideboy geezer he pretends to be. Crime featured big time early on, with tales of prison, community service, drug-taking, and the like. There was a hilarious anecdote about road rage, and how people feel safe when ensconced in their cars, causing them to exhibit a bravado that is not necessarily apparent in a face-to-face encounter. His two funniest tales, however, concerned whippets, running wild in the countryside up north, which enabled them to be observed racing alongside trains in the same majestic manner as dolphins swimming alongside tourist boats, and another about shopping in Poundstretcher. He rounded off his set with a piece outlining his compassion fatigue, brought upon by the recent glut in world disasters. Once again, Travestees delivered a varied and above-par evening's entertainment to a packed house, with a set of top-class comics from the alternative circuit. Should this review have whetted your appetite, the next Travestees show is on Wednesday 22 March, 2006 at the Glastonbury Tor Leisure Centre. Doors, as usual, open at 7.15pm, with the first act on stage at around 8.15pm. | 
