Comedy Review: XL Comedy Club at the Nottingham Playhouse

A full house of comedy aficionados gets under way with obligatory Derby jokes by Leeds Compere, Micky P Kerr, who’d clearly done his research. He milks the front row for comedic leads which he returns to throughout the show. Ranging for marriage proposals, marriage ceremonies derailed by Covid, snowboarding gangsters and later on local ice hockey commentators. His ability to find comedy in such conversation is the sign of not only a consummate, professional compere, but one with a good memory.

First up is Desiree Burch, an LA woman who ended up in the UK via New York. She energetically, bursts onto the stage in a sea of oestrogen and hair, keeping up the energy for the duration of her show, with a fast-paced show played for high laughs. Nothing escapes her zany comedic observations.  Boomers, Gen Zee’s, smart phones and breastfeeding brides. She urges the younger women to enjoy their wet years with cautionary tales of vaginal dryness, affecting once squirting grandmothers. Her boyfriend, well his beard and his hairy back, are given her zany attention. She describes how male strangers experiencing beard envy, give up total submission and concede to his superior, dense, and fuller beard, rubbing it and asking what he uses. Little do they know that she half expects to find David Bellamy hiding in his back hair, such is the growth.

Mike Gunn’s seriously off-beat and hilariously funny sense of humour appealed to this up-for-it audience. Armed with acute, well-honed observations, well-delivered, the hallmarks of a time served comedian, who has crafted a well-polished and professional show.  Conversational, yet dark. Convivial yet quirky. But searingly and hilariously funny. He transcends the ages, from nursery-made toddler art & crafts doubling for nursery recycling, to being just young enough for people to laugh if he falls, not quite yet, an ‘oh dear.’ My delight was how his bedroom dwelling son was never aware of Covid lockdown.

Top of the bill, Gary Delaney is the current king of the one-liner. A highly sought after crown, which changes heads quickly. If anyone is going to usurp him, then they are going to be very good indeed. Anyone wanting to forge a career in this niche corner of comedy, has to be well-versed in the art of the joke, they have to be funny, original, and inventive. Delaney is all of these and some. He’s Versatile, blessed with an excellent memory and able to deliver a gag as if it is for the first time. He has far too many to call and out of respect for the uninitiated, I won’t mention any but urge you to go see this master of mirth. His ingenuity at creating so many side-splitting comedic one-liners, from the simplest of statements, is a joy to witness. He can be forgiven for laughing at his own jokes. A man so funny I bet his jokes would laugh if they could. An excellent and diverse night of comedy.

XL Comedy Nottingham appeared at the Nottingham Playhouse on Saturday 07th of June 2025.