Comedy legend Bill Bailey has been quietly performing in London with his new work in progress ‘Qualmpeddler’ at the Leicester Square Theatre. But now he’s done again. Sorry. Only a lucky few got tickets for his gigs last night and tonight. And not to brag or anything… but I was one of the lucky few. Okay, so I am bragging. Sorry again.
Bailey was born and bred in the West Country, from my neck of the woods, but claims to be more refined these days. He’s lost the accent but keeps the scraggly hair, goatee and his endearing down-to-earthedness (not a word, but I’m rolling with it). Despite having previously sold-out arena tours at the O2 and Wembley, Bailey pulled off this intimate 400-seater gig with ease. And despite the fact it was a work in progress Bailey was completely at ease, even when he got his projector slides muddled up and his laptop went into hibernation. If anything the unrehearsed feel to the show is what made it all the more enjoyable. Long after the show was supposed to end, Bailey came back on stage in front of the still full audience (there had already been two encores) and began to perform material from a biro scribbled piece of paper. It was a rap about the first two laws of Thermodynamics. Needless to say, it was pretty damn good and I went away more knowledgeable than I was after two years of A-level Physics.
Bill’s stand-up has always been a quirky mash up of world observation and musical comedy. If I was his PR guy, I think his slogan would be ‘World’s Funniest Roadie’, what with the long hair, the black clothes, the musical knowledge and the obvious fact that music is his thing.
He makes shit things good by adding music. He remixes Downton Abbey with reggae-dub, he plays Eva Cassidy’s ‘Fields of Gold’ on his trusty horns and he morphs the Match of the Day theme tune into some sort of Jewish folk song. Bill Bailey makes shit things good. Now that’s another good slogan. Why am I not in PR?
So I’ve told you all this and you’re probably wondering why, seeing as you won’t be able to go see it yourself. But I thought I’d get in there early, and when the tour does come back to Britain, probably sometime early in 2013, you’ll be the first on the bandwagon. And, in the meantime, if any of you will be in New Zealand or Australia late this summer, then I suggest you book a bit of the Bailey. He’s an absolute machine.
As a consolation I'll leave you with a some West Country hip hop from Channel 4's Comedy Gala...
Original review written for Guestlist.net.
