Patrick Monahan: Shooting From The Lip

Patrick Monahan is a seasoned comedian - a comedy festival regular and the winner of ITV’s Show Me The Funny last year. It’s no surprise that this is a sold-out show, with Monahan greeting a giddy, excited crowd by warning us he is about to come out and hug all of us. Monahan makes his way through the audience, eventually picking up a 14-year old boy, bringing him on stage and lifting him up, while singing the theme song of The Lion King. At that point, he makes it really hard to dislike him, unless you really hate being warmly held by a charming comedian.

Crowd participation is a huge part of this show; Monahan picks several audience members that he often refers to throughout the show, effortlessly switching back and forth from crowd banter to his jokes. Often, it’s difficult to separate the two; it almost seems like Monahan didn’t prepare anything and just showed up to hang out with us for a bit. If you're lucky, he might even spoon you.

Even though it’s not the most intricate show you’ll see, Monahan’s infectious enthusiasm will make the hour fly by. Sometimes, all we need is a bit of affection.