Phil Davey – Original Review
Note: This review is from 2001
On stage, congenitally congenial Davey is a bubbling ball of childlike enthusiasm.
Although this makes him an immensely watchable performer, it is also his downfall, as he seems much keener to play than to actually get on with the gags.
It's a shame because when the material does shine through, it's funny stuff - if a long way from the cutting edge - and bolstered by his lively persona.
But too often that's eclipsed as he launches off into some bizarre chain of thought with no discernible joke at the end. He seems to genuinely love these 'asides' - though in reality they end up dominating the act - and, to be fair, he does sweep a proportion, if not all, the audience along with his enthusiasm.
It is, though, like listening a hyperactive child. You want him to hear what he has to say, but the relentless showing off ultimately proves a little too distracting.
Review date: 1 Jun 2001
Reviewed by: Steve Bennett