Andy Hamilton included in his act how strangers would point, stare and say that they know him from somewhere but can’t think where (He was once mistaken for serial killer Dr Harold Shipman).
That might be common for many people who only know him from his appearances on Have I Got New For You, but Andy Hamilton is much more than being Paul Merton’s funnier sidekick.
As well as co-writing Outnumbered and Drop The Dead Donkey (a series that looks like getting an update and broadcast soon), he has also written for Not The Nine O’Clock News, Alas Smith & Jones, The Armstrong and Miller Show, Kate & Koji among a multitude of others. He has also written for a vast amount of comedy programmes on the radio – some of which he also appears in. Weekending and The News Huddlines were standout shows for me.
And it was from these experiences that Hamilton filled up two hours for us with anecdotes in his An Evening With Andy Hamilton show at Blackheath Halls.
He did, however, add in some real gags when he told his Top Five jokes, all of which had been told to him by other comedians (all name-checked). So, after many decades of working in comedy, he is fully qualified to have this new stand-up show to take around the UK.
He understands his crowd, asking for a hands-up count on how many people didn’t have to pay for their travel here. But he can also appeal to the kiddies as he is the voice of Dr Elephant, the dentist in Peppa Pig.
The second half allowed Andy to show his expertise at improvising when he took random questions from the audience, although they did most often remind him of an anecdote to relate – all of which were fun as well as informative.
And he sung! It was supposedly an ancient folk song but I suspect it was a comedy song from his own hand that he had given a medieval twist…
Andy is at ease with the stage and audiences and he made us feel very comfortable being there spending an enjoyable evening with him.
Check details for tour information: https://www.ents24.com/uk/tour-dates/andy-hamilton
