Rhod Gilbert was the fourth act of the evening at the
final of the York Comedy Festival's National Talent Hunt, but just a couple of
minutes into his set the fact that we were at a "New Talent" competition was quickly forgotton.
Gilbert exuded an air of total confidence and experience that some of the
most established headline acts on the circuit would be hard-pressed to
match.
As he begins his story of growing up in Wales, we are lulled into expecting
another welsh comic going on about the rain and sheep. We do get a gag
about the rain (albeit a great one), but the sheep stay firmly locked in their
pen as we are treated to a surreal journey through his childhood, in particular
a football game involving his grandmother's pancreas and a homemade "Buckaroo"
game involving a ferret and a cheeseboard.
His laid back, deadpan style was verging on the surreally disturbing at
times, but in a good way, and he won over the audience effortlessly. The
cheers and applause as he finished left no doubt that the competition's only
title still up-for-grabs was that of "Runner Up".
(Harkers, York - Saturday 29/06/2003 - York Comedy Festival -
National Talent Hunt FINAL. Click here for more
details on the 2003 York Comedy Festival )
