George Egg

George Egg - Anarchist Cook

Bromsgrove Artrix - 4th February 2017

What a lovely man George Egg is. Not only that, but he has a lovely idea for a show, which he manages to deliver very nicely indeed. The hour spent at what is essentially an amusing cookery demonstration was most certainly not wasted, as in addition to the pleasing level of gentle laughs on offer one also potentially came away having genuinely learned a new life-skill. Consequently it is very hard to contextualise this show to consider in normal comedic terms as Egg himself points out, some people are here for the cuisine and some for the comedy. However it seems highly doubtful that any were disappointed, and for everybody in his audiences on this tour the phrase “hotel cooking” will never have the same meaning.

It does seem dubious that Egg refers to himself quite earnestly as a stand-up comedian at one point. This is stand-up only in the loosest possible sense, there is little professionalism, comedic structure or originality about his actual 'material' which consists largely of him relating vaguely interesting anecdotes in an endearing and affable manner. And 'nice', 'lovely' and 'gentle' are not the superlatives from which our comedy gods rise. Apparently happy to ignore the rock-star aspirations of younger and more eager entertainers George Egg has simply thought of something, kind of a new thing, that some people might pay to see, and has just gone out there and done it very quickly and very cleverly. Clever in as much that one gets the feeling his show is not contrived or even commercially “written”,- rather here is something that this guy actually did, on his own, with full thoroughness, and only subsequently decided to market it as a show perhaps when his friends or family suggested he should try it, possibly pointing out that he is such a likeable and funny chap.

The appeal of this show is in the basic premise, so well done to George Egg for creating and exploiting it so very well. It is, however, difficult to see how it can be developed with any longevity, so perhaps he simply plans to tour this show around the country for a few years playing to ever-increasing capacity theatres. Maybe though, he already has plans to create a full two-hour show incorporating room-service, elevator-music and a jacuzzi. That would certainly be something to look forward to, although if he did that one hopes he would employ a writer and use some actual jokes. On reflection though, the suspicion is that he is planning neither of these futures and is simply content to make hay while the sun shines. Presumably 'hay' that would be made in a hotel pillow-case under the sink ...or something.