Justin Moorhouse: Who's the Daddy
Southport Arts Centre
Friday, October 26
As well as being one of the best homegrown comedy shows of the past 10 years, Phoenix Nights gave most of its ensemble cast enough fuel to jettison beyond Peter Kay's influential orbit towards venue-busting solo careers of their own.
The studio of the Arts Centre was packed on Friday for Justin 'Young Kenny' Moorhouse's Edinburgh festival show about fatherhood and all it entails.
Billed as one of the highlights of the resort's 11-day Comedy Week, Moorhouse's down-to-earth style, mixed with an ever present atmosphere of Fridayness, made it a great start to the weekend.
In what seems to be a semi-cathartic experience for Moorhouse, he talks about his own dad disappearing when he was a toddler, only to track him down when he turned 18 and be horrified by his rubbish taste in shoes.
Then there are his own kids, a 10-year-old son and a baby daughter, who have different mothers. Although Moorhouse never brags about it, it is clear he his boy's biggest hero, and the y have had some great adventures together. The one everyone will remember is their encounter with a twinset-and-pearls type on the steps of the Eiffel Tower when Moorhouse was convinced he was about to meet his maker, and his son pulled an unexpected blinder out the bag right when one was needed.
It is very easy to like Moorhouse, there is none of the aloofness which often surrounds stand-up acts, and even when he tries to test the crowd with potentially controversial comments, it is difficult to be offended.
The Arts Centre studio is an ideal stand-up comedy venue. Set up cabaret-style with raked seating to the rear, this provided ther intimacy which helped the confessional style of the show.
A fair few 30-somethings in the crowd could relate to Moorhouse's tales of Thursday nights sat in Dad's Rover in the supermarket car park while your parents did the big shop, and you slipped round to the front seat to have a go at the wheel, Bodie and Doyle-style.
He can even be forgiven for the slightly soppy closing line, but here's hoping he and his pals had a cracking night at one of Southport's premier curry houses, recommended by members of the audience.
And to meet one of his onstage requests, this is one thing we will be putting in the Visiter.
Well, he did ask.
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