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After Obie and Keir many new acts would struggle to
keep the pace. Not Jimi McQuigan, well at least not at first. Jimi
is cranially challenged, something Jimi allowed the crowd to appreciate.
Dick and Dom would have been proud of his routine which was filled with
bogey's and all other manners of toilet humour. But like a portaloo on the
Sunday at T in the Park his set was too full of toilet humour for the
audience to completely enjoy it. Towards the end and struggling to
remember his material Jimi's nerves betrayed him, his continual erming and
umming detracted from the flow of his routine. He needs to sharpen up his
performance skills to capitalise on his material.
Having never performed comedy before, without his
knowledge John Gavin's wife last month entered him into a
competition for newcomers at the Edinburgh Fringe. He did so well he got
through to the final. It is still very early days in John's comedy career
but you would not know it. His writing is very mature. He knows how to
construct a joke and how to emphasise a strory. John's angle is that he is
a former skin head with tatoos, who is now a cardigan wearing father of
three girls. His tales of female heavy homelife are easy to associate
with. Infact they are a joy to listen to. If he keeps at it I would expect
John to be in next year's SCOTY final.
Last up was Rob Kane. Eighteen months ago
when he was starting out, the Helensburgh audience voted him through to
the final of a UK wide new act competition. It was obvious they still
enjoyed his energetic ramblings and tales of being a former ned. Rob has
some killer lines. His adlibbing is superb but his set lacks structure,
making it difficult to build laughs. The momentum disappears from his
routine by his continual use of "so anyway" in response to lines
which don't work as well as he wished. Not to worry too much though,
because many more of his lines worked than didn't. Rob's style lends
itself nicely to the Gong Show format. he has a good chance of getting to
the final via that route.
It was difficult separating Keir from Obie, but they
were clear ahead of Rob, John and the others. A good start to this years
competition. Next stop Ivory Glasgow on Sunday 31 August
Youtubes will follow shortly.
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