Vladimir McTavish- Last Chance Saloon
The Stand Comedy Club
Reviewer: Mark Ritchie
Four stars
This is such a delightfully easy review to write and a delight to submit for publication. Here is a stand-up comedian on top of his game, with a new voice (to me at least) produced by a performer who makes the tricky crossing between mainstream and what used to be known as alternative comedy look so easy!
Here we have a Scot of a certain age, who is drinking at comedies last chance saloon. Years of ups and downs are etched on his face as he stands there with his fine suit of clothes and his age-defying hairdo. A sort of Rod Stewart meets Charlie Chuck feel here and if you do not remember Charlie, just Google him.
In my view, there is indeed bags of room for comedians from this background, schooled over the years of hard knocks and I daresay a few head-wobbling high’s. The impression which came across to me was one of an acerbic and rather world-weary spinner of yarns on the world in general, but then again, the vocabulary and the search for punchlines is that of a dedicated satirist.
The crowd eat of his hand and the result is pure Scottish comedy magic. The delivery is at times laced with the odd dollop of cynicism, but is engaging and wry nonetheless. The central message from Mr McTavish and his view of the world is, if we are all going to hell in a handcart, we may as well do it with a smile on our faces.
