Terry Alderton at the Comedy Store

Terry Alderton at the Comedy Store

17 November, 2009
by: Emma

It is Terry Alderton's only London tour date tonight and Jason Cook, his exuberant Geordie support act, is feeling the pressure. "When I got the call asking to support Terry I said yes without thinking. I know yous are all just waitin' for Terry O'clock!" He peers into the audience and spots something unsettling. "Is that...are yous two wearing Terry T-Shirts?!"

This is the last leg of Alderton's tour in England and the Comedy Store is full to bursting. This place must have a special significance for the 39-year-old; he's had more consecutive encores here than any other comedian in its history and recently headlined its 30th Anniversary gig ahead of the likes of Jimmy Carr and Paul Merton. From his observational roots that saw him nominated for a Perrier Award in 1999, he's presented the lottery, hit rock bottom and come back again; reinventing himself with a completely unique and convention-busting act.

When I interviewed Terry a few weeks ago, he said he was really nervous about this gig in particular but there is no sign of that now as he emerges on stage to thundering music; slapping hands in the front row and flamboyantly boogying around the stage.

A large chunk of the show is taken up with audience banter which he uses as a springboard for set pieces. 'The common work of a decent compere!' I hear you cry, but in Alderton's capable hands this ordinary tack becomes exceptional. A high quiff in the crowd leads him into an eerily good Morrissey rendition, replacing the lyrics with improvised observations on the front row. Another technique he uses involves turning his back on the crowd and talking to two inner demons about what he's really thinking. If he's done a good bit he gets a slap on the back of the neck from them: "Well done, got the Morrissey impression out!"    

It is this vocal ability which really wows the crowds, as he whips through some astonishingly good impressions of Robert de Niro, Lee Evans and Alan Carr one minute, before doing the sound effects for a battle in Afghanistan the next. At one point a girl messes up one of his jokes so he 'reverses' all of his actions and noises from the last five minutes to 'erase' her comment from our memory.

He talks in several different accents throughout the show from a camp and clipped English 'ladies and gentlemen' to Russian, Iraqi, Texan and occasionally, his own Essex twang. Mocking some actors in the front row who seem to have reached the dizzy heights of recording their own films, it is pretty obvious who the credible performer is. His rudeboy routine in particular is a highlight and one he dips into several times. With the help of some speed garage backing tracks - he dances, beatboxes and raps like MC Neat. Hell, he could have MC Neat's job!

Watching Alderton is a bit like watching several comedians at once. He does character comedy, sporadically becoming 'Special Needs Dad' who wants his kids back: "Don't make me go up Big Ben!" He does impressions, he does improvisation, anecdotes, audience chat, singing, dancing and physical comedy. The Superman T-shirt he wears for 'Special Needs Dad' is certainly befitting - he is a comedy Superman.

True to form, he gets a standing ovation at the end with shouts for 'encore, encore!' We expect the consummate showman to bowl back on stage with another routine but instead he thanks us profusely for our support, getting quite choked up in the process. He tells us it was Eddie Izzard that first convinced him to do the tour, he wasn't even sure he could pull in the crowds initially. Ever the professional, he returns for a second encore and turns his back to us, as the gravelly-voiced inner demon chides him: "Started crying like a big baby and had to have a sip of water didn't we?" Eventually he is allowed to leave and for a moment as the lights come on and the music starts up again, we all remain motionless, like stunned rabbits. The days of getting mistaken for Al Murray are well and truly over for Terry Alderton.

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Emma