I mentioned to a neighbour that I was going to see Omid and he replied, "Oh, the accents man". This was something unknown to me as, in truth, I wasn't that familiar with Omid's work. My interest had been piqued when I saw he was playing The Stand (always a great venue) with Boothby Graffoe, a rather good, offbeat comedian/musician, in support.
The gig was sold out so I was pleased to snag my regular seat, offering a clear view of the stage. No possibility of a tall punter blocking my view (see above).
Once the place filled up, there was standing room only but that didn't stop one female from getting her friend to bring her a barstool so she could sit at the end of my row. She wanted to be near her other friend who had taken the last available table seat. Her joy was short-lived as the soundperson returned and instructed her to move, reminding her she was blocking a route of escape. Her charms fell on deaf ears when she begged him to remain.
Later, someone else took up position on the steps and was told to move. I love it when the staff enforce the rules with latecomers. It makes standing in the queue in the rain all the more worthwhile.
I spotted a Middle Eastern punter sitting along the row from us. With his bald head and beard, I had to do a double-take to check it wasn't Omid (it wasn't - the chap was too young). The gentleman then moved to sit at the front, right beside the stage. I wondered if he was a plant for Omid's show (he wasn't - just a fan).
Boothby was terrific. A seasoned veteran, he loves to wrongfoot his audience with gags out of nowhere (though he did tell the old one about the wife on holiday complaining about the manner in which she'd been told her cat was dead - punchline: 'So your mum was on the roof'). He spotted the Middle Eastern chap and engaged him in some audience banter. It turned out Vaheem was Iranian, worked in the army in logistics ("Which army?" asked BG faux nervously) but was living in East Kilbride. Omid later cleverly incorporated him into several gags, giving him a fist bump in thanks.
The beardy bloke with the rat's tail ended up so drunk he failed to understand Omid wasn't talking directly to him and started replying in a loud but unintelligible manner. Thankfully, Omid didn't engage and the beardy bloke settled down allowing the night to continue smoothly.
Omid has a great charm even if his material is just okay. He is engaging and amusing and even used his platform to raise awareness of the current plight of Iranian women, finding some humour in a serious subject. He also told a gag about football chants that Mark Thomas had used albeit tagging it to a different team. His proper act did get some big laughs but overall I'd agree it was the Good Times Tour as opposed to the Not Bad Times Tour or the Seriously Great Times Tour. His accents are incredible, however.
Ticket price £22 plus booking fee.