If ever there was a time when a review could not possibly do an act justice then this is it.  Gushing, ass-kissing reviews are not the sort of thing that a journalist wants to become known for, but every so often there comes a time when nothing less will do.  Boothby Graffoe at the launch event of the 2003 York Comedy Festival was one of those times.

Brilliant! Brilliant! Brilliant!  When you go to a comedy show you want to be made to laugh, in fact you demand it.  If you've been to a few then you (think you) know what to expect.

The tall frame of Graffoe ambled on to the stage, guitar held casually at his side, and proceeded to look for somewhere to put it.  Searching for a guitar stand he runs off the side of the stage, only to return with a pint instead and dumps the guitar on the floor. 

From this point on stopping laughing is not an option as we are bombarded with a German on a horse talking to a Frenchmen who turns up in an Afghan house made of bread while a nuclear mutant three armed child does a song and dance routine about lobsters and a sheep invites a farmer back to the field to watch a movie because it got a projector for it's birthday.

As the set draws to a close there's a mixture of relief, as we are finally allowed a rest bite from the exhaustion of relentless laughter, and, of course, disappointment as we wish he'd stay for another hour.

People have been saying it for far too long already, but with his relaxed, efforless style and comedy genius, in the true sense of the term, we should be seeing a hell of a lot more of Boothby in the future.

York Grand Opera House - 23/06/2003 - York Comedy Festival Launch Event - Support Act