Comedy Review: Al Murray: Landlord of Hope and Glory, Assembly George Square Gardens
Al Murray: Landlord of Hope and Glory, Assembly George Square Gardens, Edinburgh ***
You get 90 minutes, a full band, an impromptu guitar solo, booze, karaoke and lots and lots of opinions. In other words, a proper night out.
Al Murray’s brilliant creation has become an essential part of the British comedy landscape.
The audience knows exactly what they are in for. Couples in the front row can expect to be sprayed with beer and watch the blazer wearing predator try his lamentable chat up techniques on unattended women.
Murray has a rolodex of politically incorrect compliments and insults in his repertoire. Retired army men are saluted, teachers are treated with suspicion and a psychiatrist makes our man physically shrink with fear.
He’s a monster with fear driven, illogical, utterly ludicrous views on every aspect of human life.
A man clearly on the brink, it’s a joy to see him work himself into a froth for a final explosive rant about the glorious possibilities of Brexit. Tragically, this is a man whose time has come.
CLAIRE SMITH
Until 11 August