Justin Moorhouse: People and Feelings

Justin Moorhouse
Gilded Balloon Teviot

It occurred to me on the way in how it might seem odd to come all the way to Edinburgh to see someone I often run into back home in Manchester, but Justin had this covered in the show.

When there was a significant show of hands for "who's here from the North West", he suggested it would have been easier to do this in Warrington. But it wouldn't have been quite the same.

In fact Moorhouse covers a number of topics that I've often complained about, but it never seems as funny coming out of my mouth, like how personalised number plates have no function other than to show off the wealth of the car owner, and motorway service stations—although for me it's more the ones that claim to be "services" but are actually nothing more than a McDonalds a few hundred yards from a petrol station.

But we do diverge on some issues. He tells off a 17-year-old in the audience for not "playing out" (she didn't really seem to understand what he meant) as he said he played out till he was 19. When he describes the games and pranks he played, his incredulity at our laughter makes them all the funnier.

He has a great bubbly personality that means, though he insults the audience and most of his family, it is difficult to take offence (I can't speak for his family). When he tells you that he will be totally honest with you and describes the tricks that other comedians use to lie to you which he won't resort to, you believe him. If he had told us he still "plays out" now, we would believe him.

There were a few memory blips, but he did have to start this Edinburgh run late due to being invited to the Rio Olympics, which he mentions once or twice, but even then he made something funny out of his mistakes and the audience went with it.

Moorhouse hilarious storytelling combined with a quick wit in response to audience reaction makes for a great show.

Reviewer: David Chadderton

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