Comedy Review: Steve Coogan, Liverpool Echo Arena

Oct 13 2008 by Vicky Anderson, Liverpool Daily Post

IT HAD seemed somewhat strange that Steve Coogan, cracking America quite nicely at the moment, had decided to tour the UK as (to use the title of the show itself) Alan Partridge and Other Less Successful Characters.

And after a contemptible and almost woeful show in Liverpool last night, the question still remains.

An audience of a mere few thousand filed into the Arena to see Coogan last night – and a lesser number stayed the course to the end.

He first appeared as Pauline Calf with what would have been a cute, funny song and dance number if he had injected it with any life at all.

Some good one-liners went mostly to waste as lines were fluffed and rushed, and the precedent had been set – although the part where she read from her new book was quite a giggle.

Next was TV sitcom character Tommy Saxondale, before his wacky comedian Duncan Thicket made a lamentable appearance, and then Paul Calf.

Excitement was palpable for the arrival of Alan Partridge, and things began well with some quality daft songs from the man, but his inexplicable play about Sir Thomas More tested the patience of even the most dedicated of his fans.

By the end of the show, during a number cheerily and liberally throwing about four-letter words with little finesse, four cast members were twirling umbrellas spelling the most taboo word in the canon, and it was at that point it really felt as if Coogan was addressing his audience personally.

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