Ian Waller enjoys another great evening out at The Forum Bath with a visit from comedy royalty
It is not many comedians who can persuade the King to introduce their show, but Harry Enfield clearly has unusual connections.
As the lights went up at the Forum, King Charles himself appeared stage right to welcome the audience to an evening with the man behind a string of classic comedy creations, from Kevin the Teenager to Nice But Dim and Loadsamoney.
Except, of course, it was not really the King at all. It was Enfield in a fold-up crown, setting the tone for a show that mixed sharp impressions, self-deprecation and a fond look back at a remarkable comedy career.
That opening also served as an early reminder that Enfield is much more than a creator of memorable characters. He is also an accomplished mimic, and over the course of the evening he slipped with ease into impressions including Ricky Gervais, John Cleese and Bob Mortimer.
The sold-out Forum audience was packed with people who had grown up with Enfield’s work and were more than ready to revisit it with him.
What followed was a hugely enjoyable trip through his life and career, from school days and early Edinburgh Fringe performances to becoming one of the biggest names in British comedy.
There were stories from the early days of characters such as Stavros and Loadsamoney, before television fame arrived through The Comic Strip and Saturday Live.
Along the way, several familiar faces returned. Loadsamoney reappeared, Kevin the Teenager turned up briefly, and Enfield joked that he is now far too old to be playing him.
He also brought back The Old Gits, Wayne and Waynetta Slob and Nice But Dim, the last of them partly inspired, he revealed, by an encounter with former Prime Minister David Cameron.
The material landed throughout, with steady laughter and warm applause from an audience enjoying every reference.
Enfield also showed that his characters can still be updated for a different age. Dave Nice, one half of Smashy and Nicey, resurfaced as a right-wing podcaster, a nice example of how sharply he can still skewer modern life.
Some of the biggest laughs came from the stories in between the set pieces.
He recalled confusing Whitney Houston at a Nelson Mandela tribute concert, drinking with Paul McCartney and George Harrison, and casually mentioned that he was once Lily Allen’s stepfather.
The second half opened up to audience questions, which prompted anecdotes involving Bob Mortimer and Rik Mayall, an awkward moment with Queen Camilla, and a barbed line about a certain lanky Fawlty Towers star.
More than anything, the evening showed that Enfield’s writing, timing and eye for character remain as strong as ever.
This was a show built on nostalgia, but it never felt stuck in the past. Instead, it was a reminder of just how much of Enfield’s work has lasted.
He returns to the Forum on 7 November. On this evidence, those tickets will not hang around for long. Book your tickets here
