Place on bill: Headline
Venue: Creased Up - The Hawth, Crawley
Date of show: 13th October 2005

Stephen K Amos comes on with what looks like a nasty smell under his nose. He is neither impressed with the venue he's been booked into or the class of audience he is forced to perform for.

He is snobbish, arrogant and so totally full of himself that he should be instantly despised if it wasn't for the fact that every snide comment wasn't totally founded and well deserved.

Yes, the stage was ramshackle. Yes, the venue was hosting a 30 year dated show in the larger hall and yes, his self confidence was completely justifies as within these first few opening criticisms he had everyone in fits of laughter. Uncertain whether it was due to the comedy element or more to do with the sheer audacity of the man.

As his set progressed it would become evident that it was an equal measure of both.
Amos dismissed the restraints of his stage and lighting to enter the audience to connect directly with us. This open discourse with those immediately around him fed him plenty of impromptu material to play with and each avenue of discussion ended with another almighty burst of raucous hilarity.

It goes without saying that such a personal level would make someone think that the show was especially for him. This heckler, who rated himself as a bit of a wag, was played with toyfully at first but eventually built to verbally hammering him with a feces covered shovel because he would not shut up. On some occasions the heckler, although by no means funny in himself, still manages to throw the comedian off kilter. Amos has no kilter to be thrown off of. Since his set seems to be almost entirely off the cuff, said heckler was dealt with as part of the acerbic discourse and utterly destroyed with yet another barrage of comedic brilliance.

The over-confidence, arrogance and snobbery slips on occasion to show that it is just an act and he does become engrossed with the audience and seems to genuinely enjoy a lot of the interaction that ensues. He is a truly magnificent comedian who does deserve better than this.