Reginald D Hunter, New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham - review
‘Reggie’ should narrate audiobooks. That silky smooth voice would sound great relating some gangland drama to us through our car stereo or perhaps the life story of some political great, interjected with that hilarious giggle and some anecdotes about life in general.
His demeanour and delivery give the impression he could be saying the worst possible things about you yet you're powerless to resist as your belly laughs along with the rest of the room.
And behind the laugh lies a great mind choc-full of facts, stats and opinion based on 48 years of spotting what is wrong with our world.
Being a political comedian of American origin, of course there were going to be observations on Donald Trump at the New Alexandria Theatre on Friday. But 20 years of living in Britain has given him another system to poke fun at, and an impassioned defence of Jeremy Corbyn was followed by a Star Wars sketch where Obi Wan Corbyn-i faced the Sith Lord May in a battle of wills in the corridors of Westminster.
His warm-up was a little different. Slightly geekier in nature, Glenn Wool was a Canadian who did not care who he annoyed. His jokes were so close to the bone they chipped them, but his delivery kept (almost) everyone with him as he touched upon subjects that can’t really be discussed in a family newspaper.
His bravery was second-to-none and it had to be commended given not too many people in the room would have known him beforehand. We did, for example, learn that jokes about people in a coma are more warmly received in Birmingham than jokes about the dead.
To be so brash without a name to rely upon was bold, so well played Glenn.
Reginald was slightly more restrained. Sort of. It is again his delivery that lets him get away with so much.
As well as the political commentary we discussed things like how he battles keyboard warrior racists on Twitter in the early hours of the morning. What starts as utter hatred between them turns into a kind of mutual respect over time until one even sends him well-wishes for his ill father – while also reminding him he hates ‘your people’.
This is more than a comedy show. It is a full hour putting the world to rights with a guy you would just love to share a pint with to learn more.
It was two-and-a-half years since he last came to see us, he said. Don’t leave it so long next time Reggie.
