Jason Byrne at artsdepot

Jason Byrne at artsdepot

25 July, 2008
by: Emma

Artsdepot is a surprising haven in the armpit that is North Finchley. Having practically reached the end of the Northern line and walked passed Shoe Zone and Wimpy in the inappropriately named Tally Ho corner, I'm not sure what to expect, but it isn't this gleaming glass building with its name depicted in pink halogen lights - a welcoming beacon in the dreary mass of kebab houses and bookies that is Finchley High Road. Just over three years old, the arts centre boasts an impressive roster of events, talks, workshops and classes in everything from dance to art, theatre, music and comedy.

I'm here to catch Irish stand-up and Fringe favourite Jason Byrne performing his latest show Shy Pigs With Wigs Hidden In Twigs. Whether you can actually call it a scripted show with an abundance of new material is questionable. When he does dabble into prepared routine it is all familiar Byrne territory -  family life and what appears to be marriage to the wife from hell. The anecdotes are funny enough and the portrait he paints of the lack of romance in his relationship will be amusing for anyone who has been with someone for longer than a year and can empathise with unsexy pyjamas, indifferent sex and honesty verging on the rude. The reason most Byrne shows and tours sell out however is less to do with fishwife tales and more to do with his improv skills. His line of thought is impressively organic at times, immediately turning a situation or comment from the audience to his advantage with a quick-witted quip or surreal journey.

He finishes the first half telling us the best way to steal from Tescos using their self-checkout tills: "Just make the noise yourself – "bip, bip"; then asks us all to see what we could steal from the artsdepot during the break and put it on stage before the second half. It's quite entertaining queuing up for a beer with people carrying sofas and shopping trolleys behind you, especially when it transpires said trolley has been stolen from a Sainsbury's down the road! Staff were clearly in on it or very game for a laugh; when Byrne is picking through the multitude of loot in the second half he comes across a security radio: "Who nicked dis?", he asks, holding it up. "Me", says the radio. Byrne almost drops it in surprise. "What sick fook has nicked dis?", he asks, putting on a children's glove. "It's Jeremy Beadle's!" shouts someone in the audience. "Don't be ridiculous!", Byrne shoots back, "This glove is too big for Beadle."

You certainly can't fault him on effort. He literally throws himself around stage for your amusement, one minute trying to carry a girl in a cardboard box back to her seat, the next pretending to give a midget's sermon from a small paper stand. It is an extraordinary evening and there's no way he or his audience can anticipate what will happen next. Stories about 'something funny my kid said' I can do without but seemingly mundane offerings from the audience spun into comedy gold; that I will happily pay for.


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Emma