Susan Vale – Original Review
Note: This review is from 2009
Review by Steve Bennett
Susan Vale’s not exactly your archetypal comedian. A seemingly mild middle-aged woman, she stands uneasily behind the microphone, looking more like a nervous newbie than a comedian of more than ten years standing.Her set, delivered with the dryness of the Kalahari, has two main prongs: the almost excruciatingly bad pun, and gratuitous references to sex and/or genitalia. And if she can combine the two, bingo!
There’s an obvious discrepancy with some of the filth in some of her nymphomaniacal moments and her appearance and low-key style, but it’s not quite enough to disguise the fact this is often just talking dirty for its own sake. The wordplay can be hit-or-miss, too, but some of them are cracking lines that would do Tim Vine proud.
Vale’s act is, however, more than the sum of these parts, thanks to her quirky, slightly twisted demeanour which means you’ll remember her longer than you’ll remember any of her material. Her finale – which could have come straight out of a Phoenix Nights talent show – sees to that.
Ultimately, there are not quite enough rock-solid laughs here, but she’s certainly a character.
Review date: 26 Feb 2009
Reviewed by: Steve Bennett
