Tue 8 Nov
words: ANGHARAD BROWN
Chances are you won’t recognise the name Jimeoin, but you’ll almost certainly recognise the face from prime-time television programmes such as Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow and Comedy Rocks with Jason Manford. As such, and despite the Glee Club not being at capacity there was a strong sense of anticipation and expectation in the audience. As seems to be the case with some of the bigger touring comedians, there was no warm-up act and Jimeoin announced shortly after his appearance on stage that the show will be split in two with an interval.
From early on he seemed concerned at the level of laughter coming from the audience which, because it wasn’t a sell out, was perhaps on a minimum. However, by no means was this because of the quality of his jokes as everyone was certainly laughing, just not loudly. Add to this the slow delivery of his jokes (about as far from Mark Watson’s style as possible, something for which I’m incredibly glad), and it meant at times the room was free from laughter as we listened intently to his next punchline.
A few times he was distracted by audience members attempting a discreet toilet run but especially by one woman who arriving late had to find her way to the front row. This seemed to throw him off course temporarily but he quickly incorporated it into his act. The second half picked up in pace, despite the fact Jimeoin was obviously concerned at the lack of alcohol passing through the lips of the audience, but he needn’t have worried.
In fact it was quite nice being part of an audience that wasn’t full of drunk, cocky idiots shouting any old rubbish as a heckle. His observational style of comedy was clever and thankfully didn’t centre on too much on clichés. It was a particular hit with the woman sitting behind me who regularly screeched, “Oh my god that’s so true!”