News in brief...

Lee Mack was approached by one fan who told him: "Can I just say, I love that sketch show you're in." Lee thanked him, and the punter followed up with: "I loved that sketch where the guy couldn't open the door." Lee: "Um, that was Big Train." Fan: "Ah, um.... well I loved that other sketch where the woman falls in love with a traffic light." Lee: "That was Big Train as well." Exit fan, embarrassed.

Not that Lee's not averse to the odd slip himself. At the last night of the late-night Festival Club, he opened with: "Good evening Edinb.... Melbourne."

At another comics' hang-out, The Spinning Wheel, Mike Wilmot was interrupted early in his set by a clumsy member of the house band accidentally striking a chord. Undeterred, the soon-to-be Barry winner insisted on a musical accompaniment to his rest of set, performing it as a wonderfully jazzy voiceover to the band's sleazy riffs.

Daniel Kitson will have a fine memento of Melbourne - a nice lump on the head. At the last night of his show, he decided to play up to his 'comedy maverick' status - violently throwing aside the mike stand, then unplugging the microphone and swirling its cord around his head. But Kitson, who was already limping from an earlier footballing clash with Jason Byrne, managed to twat himself on the temple with considerable force, causing him to retire hurt off the stage for a few moments to recover his composure.

Saturday nights at the Festival Club are rocked by the all-star band fronted by the Scared Weird Little Guys and featuring a parade of comics on lead vocals - including Adam Hills performing Ant Music in full Adam Ant get-up, and Dave Gorman's spirited rendition of Song 2, ending with a spectacular stage dive.

Published: 20 Apr 2003