Item 52: Grin Up North

Location: Sheffield, United Kingdom

My life as a travelling salesman has re-located me to the town of Sheffield during the week.

Trying as best I can to make home the place where I lay my hat, a friend offered me tickets to the town's Grin Up North comedy festival. Last Monday I was introduced to the comedic talent of Marcus Brigstocke and his show "Dog Collar". Not having any idea who he was, though apparently a well known feature on Radio 4 in the evenings, I was expecting something half decent. Performing to a theatre of 800, I found his material reminiscent of Wil Anderson's "Wil of God" which I'd seen a few years back. There was a more 2009 feel with iPhone anecdotes and references to musings of Richard Dawkins. Some light-hearted, soul-searching humor that went down well to start the week.

This week I snapped up my friend's spare ticket to Rich Hall, a regular feature on the comedy festival circuit. The first half of the show was rather impromptu. We all hoped for the best when he asked for audience input and shined the spotlight on the latecomers in the audience. The stranger sitting next to me (smelling of a half-dried shirt and stinky feet), found it amusing enough to laugh about a half second later than Mr Hall's punch lines. I would've preferred to have snoozed for a little and then come along for the second half of the show.

After the interval, the show lifted pace as his alter-ego Otis Lee Crenshaw took to the stage with a band performing whimsical songs that were light-hearted enough to digest on a sleepy Monday evening - after the long train ride into town.

Item 52: Grin Up North? CHECK!