Off The Cuff @ Three and Ten, Brighton Comedy Festival, 21 October

In the style of Channel 4’s hit Whose Line Is It Anyway?, Off The Cuff act solely on impulse, enacting sketches based on suggestions from the audience, which range from the mundane (gardening) to the ridiculous (terminal illness). For the most part, the show worked well. With little encouragement required, the performers threw themselves into things, and whilst some seemed more at home under the glare of the spotlight than others, none can be faulted for effort. A take off of Blind Date was the highlight of a slightly truncated night that’s funny and entertaining – if a little tame.

3/5

Written for Latest 7

Cazza Comedy Review @ The Caroline of Brunswick 14 October

When was the last time a night bookended by conversations on Nietzsche and Schopenhauer was greeted with such uproarious laughter? Compèred by the effervescent Jim Grant and featuring seven comedians, Cazza Comedy provided ample bang for your buck, so much so, that even the rare lulls in amusement can be forgiven. Opening comic Sean McLoughlin’s animated meanderings on sexual failings and Catholicism proved hilarious, as he rivalled Kevin Precious as the best of the early acts. But headliner Robin Ince’s (above) frenzied, fiercely intelligent and desperately funny assault on news, politics and Natasha Kaplinsky stole the plaudits, on a highly recommended night.

4/5

Written for Latest 7

Video: Robin Ince on Creationism

Cabaret on a Sinking Ship @ The Nightingale Theatre, 29 September

Theatre Review for Latest 7

With standout characters like an amphibious reality TV champion, jilted by her manageress, a politician haunted by the demons of the past and Lily, the gypsy immigrant from Eastern Europe, begging for your vote; Cabaret On A Sinking Ship takes a well-aimed, if sometimes slapstick swipe at British society, opportunely timed to coincide with a certain visiting conference.

The results are unflinchingly intense and occasionally hilarious. There’s acerbity in the cast’s delivery that hammers home their disgruntlement, but there’s an unfortunate overriding sentiment that 30 minutes could easily have been sacrificed from the production, much to the comfort of the patrons.

3/5