Rich Hall Hoedown, Stafford Gatehouse - review
Last night saw Rich Hall and his virtuoso musical mates take to the stage at the Stafford Gatehouse for an evening of music and comedy as part of his Hoedown UK tour.
Critically acclaimed for his grouchy, deadpan style and rapid-fire wit, Hall has had various television appearances including QI, Live At The Apollo, Have I Got News For You and Never Mind The Buzzcocks.
He’s also the winner of both a Perrier and a Barry as well as being the inspiration for the marvellously cantankerous barman, Moe Szyslak, in The Simpsons.
With the evening taking the form of two halves, the first being a stand up section revolving around politics and the distinct differences between the UK and American cultural sphere, with the second seeing Hall being joined by a two-piece band to perform comedic songs based on previous musings with various audience members.
This saw the evening take hilarious twists from a song about taking the A34 to Cannock and the sad truth about being a greyhound.
The evening thrives from Hall’s communication with the audience that is often stronger than the scripted material; however that’s not to say that the material on show is below par.
It’s when the whole group of musicians find humour and joy in the material that they’ve spontaneously stumbled upon, that the show proved the most rewarding.
It’s safe to say that if you were to follow Rich around the country on this tour, then two nights would never be the same.
For an artist to be comfortable enough in his art that he can use the audience as an integral part, he must first have the audience on side.
Through Hall’s grouchy persona, a warmth and approachability provides him the platform to give all present a rewarding and uniquely hilarious evening.
