The Committee Meeting

Elis James and Chris Corcoran
Underbelly Cow Barn

Welsh comedy is riding high at the moment and therefore The Committee Meeting becomes a welcome lunchtime opportunity to get a sight of two leading performers.

It is therefore a pity that they do not really have enough strong material to fill an hour.

The Committee in question runs a working men’s club in the Valleys and comprises the members of the audience. Quickly, it becomes apparent that keeping one’s eyes firmly pointing towards shoes will prevent embarrassment.

Chris Corcoran plays The Chairman, a relatively straight man behind a lively tie featuring Welsh dragons. He warms up the audience for the ageing, communist caretaker, Rex Jones played by Elis James.

This short, sly operator works hard and the pair make full use of the audience’s innate schadenfreude to get laughs.

There is also a cod Mastermind episode in which Rex competes against his hated, Conservative brother.

While there are some good comic set pieces, most of the fun derives from the comic characters created by James and as long as you warm to him and get involved in the participatory events, the hour will pass enjoyably enough.

Reviewer: Philip Fisher

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