Boothby Graffoe

Boothby Graffoe
UCL Bloomsbury Theatre
Thu 12 –Sat 14 June
£12, Concessions £10

Everyone in the know has known for years that Boothby Graffoe is brilliant, but like a lot of the best comedians, he still hasn't become a household name. The reason for this oversight, of course, is that he hasn't had his own hit TV show (yet), and if the career curves of other brilliant comics are anything to go by, it really is a lottery whether the right series will ever come his way. Bill Bailey was in a similar position before Black Books and Never Mind The Buzzcocks, and this enigmatic wag is just as funny. Meantime, at least telly’s myopia means you can still see him up close and personal, rather than from the back row of some huge barn, and this week he plays one of the top stand-up spots in the land. Large enough to generate the showbiz buzz of a big theatre, but still small enough to sustain the intimacy of a local club, the Bloomsbury is one of Britain’s best venues for live comedy, and the perfect forum for Boothby Graffoe’s wise, quirky wit and evocative wry songs.

William Cook
Guardian, Sat 7 June 2003