Phoenix Arts Comedy Night Show Review

The purpose of a comedy show is to deliver humorous amusement with the idea and intent that laughter is the best medicine; nothing can bring people closer more than sharing a good laugh. The Phoenix Theatre, Whitehill and Bordon, delivered more than that on Wednesday 12th June 2023, with their Work in Progress Comedy Festival Night. The show was centred around two very talented comedy geniuses that filled the theatre space with laughter and brought joy to people’s faces. The show starred two critically acclaimed comedians, Ivo Graham, known for his enjoyable and funny appearance on the ‘Taskmaster’, ‘Mock the Week’, and ‘Have I got news for you’, paired with his coworker for the night and renowned comedian, Peter Rethinasamy, who is equipped with his own podcast known as ‘Luke and Pete talking sheet’, found on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.  

To begin with, Peter Rethinasamy hit us, not literally, with a variety of questionable but spit-out-water hilarious topics. He immediately fell into step, seizing the audience and gracing us with his casual and relatable sense of humour, recounting moments in his life with radiating confidence and compelling laughter. His sense of storytelling and the laughs that came with were contagious, and I found myself laughing at almost every joke; he kept the audience on their toes, and it was a delight. On behalf of the audience, Peter was a joy to watch, with a natural ability to appease us and be able to think on the spot. During his performance, there was not one area in which he faltered, and his audience participation was humorous and interactive, being successful in many ways. 

Ivo Graham captured the audience in a comedic gaze as soon as he walked on stage, each of his jokes delivered with no flaws. He immediately took a lead on crowd involvement as he riffed and played off the audience's energy, and I felt that while his jokes were relatable and undeniably hilarious, his inclusivity of audience participation won me over as a whole, and ultimately brought the show together. Due to this, Ivo’s act became a new level of casual comic relief and humorous stand-up comedy.  

I can only speak for myself when I say I enjoyed the chaotic and boundless act that Ivo brought us, as this show felt structureless but ultimately planned at the same time. Although I would recommend these acts and the venue 100%, if you are someone who enjoys organised and purposeful comedy, then this show isn’t for you! His general theme of top trumps and his shining passion for the card game had me rolling with giggles, and I can say, on behalf of the audience, that his waffling banter was laugh-out-loud, and I can’t wait to see what he comes up with next. 

However, as good as they were, I felt that at some small points, the punchline was lost and didn’t have the impact it should have, or the joke was glazed over by moving onto the next one quite quickly. I think that a possible slow down on the jokes to allow the audience to really process and enjoy them may have had a better result, but nonetheless, the show ran smoothly with little faults. 

Throughout the night I felt that the two comedians could not have been chosen better to bring this show to life, and it was refreshing to watch two work in progress shows and view the imperfections behind what becomes a seemingly smooth performance, and to be able to appreciate first-hand the talent, hard work and effort that goes into a recognisably challenging career. I walked into the theatre space blind sighted to their style of comedy, and I walked out having had a thoroughly enjoyable night.  

In my view, the venue at Phoenix Theatre was perfect for this type of event. Its bar and bar staff were easy to talk to and work with, and the snacks were traditional and fulfilling, as well as being a manageable price. The theatre itself, I found, is easily accessible with its ability to cater for those with disabilities or struggles. This is ultimately impressive, due to the number of theatres that are not compatible with a variety of audience members. Overall, the Comedy Festival was worth the watch, and I left still laughing. 

Written By Laura Kirk