Perhaps expecting a Lincoln comedy crowd to be an easygoing liberal bunch was a bit too much. Filled mostly with students who are looking far too young these days, it was an awkward affair – crammed in, sat on cheap plastic seats that wouldn’t have been out of place in a primary school. We were also slightly wet, from the weather, as the haze and smell of damp clothes ascended from the drying crowd I was trying to concentrate on the recent best of Led Zep coming from the P.A. as opposed to my damp jeans and that really annoying “posh” pair of couples who had just sat behind us and were scoffing at the shit beer and view (really, what did they fucking expect, it’s a student union venue – albeit a good one).
So, the night started. Some Irish comedian, can’t remember his name warmed up. Really offensive. Fucking obnoxious, which is maybe why I liked him. His act seemed to be shouting at the audience in an effort to jeer them up (it fucking worked, see below), getting as many expletives as he could in a sentence and picking on the crowd and taking the piss out of them. One in particular, a goth girl who unfortunately sat on the front row with both her parents (mistake) was told by this Irish guy that (and I quote) “When she is out her mother dresses up in her daughters goth clothes and her dad fucks her.” That was about the tone of the evening. I was fine with that, even sober.
Unfortunately no one seemed to find it that funny – sounds of muffled “should I be laughing at this?” crept from mouths, gasps and sighs were heard. Either that or my ears popped from laughing so much.
So, Frankie Boyle. The angry Scot. Some of you might know him from TV’s “Mock The Week”. He looks like the bear from Bo! Selecta anyway…
It was a bad start to be honest, he was merely opening his act – warming up and some absolute idiot who should have known better started heckling. The norm at a comedy event.
Except this was no ordinary heckling, Frankie merely stated that Lincoln was hardly a city (technically it is, but it does lack the functions, atmosphere and terror of any city I have visited or lived in). The said audience member didn’t like this and began correcting him, mumbling to his girlfriend and making a general fuss of the situation, which in my opinion – really wasn’t a big fucking deal.
Frankie rightly pointed out that he “wasn’t his fucking care worker, he was warming up, getting started – if you don’t like it – fuck off and get your money back”. Well said.
Anyway, approximately five minutes later a new guy started up “you got any new material?”. Frankie rightly stated some people want to hear some of his material from mock the week and promptly walked off – which caused a chaotic interval whilst the offending people were removed. I never thought there was a difference between a heckler and an arsehole, until now.
The atmosphere changed, almost foreboding and didn’t change for about twenty minutes (in this time Frankie returned to the stage and had actually told some jokes, all very very funny). Because of this incident all of the crowd were almost too afraid to make a noise, which spoilt the atmosphere slightly.
The jokes were about as low as you can get (offensive paedo jokes, Michael Jackson, Politics) and throughout the set I felt sorry for Frankie. Fortunately, Christina and I found it hilarious – some of the rest of the crowd did too, but I couldn’t help thinking that maybe the Lincoln crowd were taking the jokes to heart too much and not appreciating that it was merely a comedic act. Whenever a risqué joke was told it was half laughter half shocked gasps.
For me, a very surreal – but VERY enjoyable (and funny) night – I really am struggling to put the strange 10 – 15 minute atmospheric shitstorm into words. It was definitely one of those “you had to be there” nights. Maybe not one of Frankie’s best gigs ever, due to the strange crowd interaction (and perhaps a very conservative nature), but sod em’. I enjoyed it.
Fuck knows what the Grimsby crowd will make of it when he comes here in April!
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