I’m not sure what their circumstances are, or why standup comics Sam Howard and Oliver Pol are bothered by them: they’re onstage bursting with energy at the Pow Wow Room and being greeted raucously enough.

“How’s your day been?” they want to know. Someone’s moving to Australia, someone else has been made redundant – but then there’s the global situation to preoccupy our performers. After riffing off such responses, Oliver moves on to advice about alcohol how to outrun your hangover.

Turning to the world situation provides an opportunity to muse on the phenomenon of celebrity – Oliver’s reference to our most famous sheep being my favourite one of the evening. Apocalypse sounds serious enough, but this gets comedic shafting too, before we learn what keeps him awake at night.

Energy powers Oliver’s delivery and provides a great introduction to Sam’s set. His main claim to fame, he tells us, is survival at the supermarket. The Bee Gee’s ‘Staying Alive’ takes on new significance. Ethics, mosquitos and grandparents all rate a mention. His best story is one about working in a theatre and his encounter with a pregnant woman.

A contemporary note concludes his set – computers and ChatGPT make for great comedic material.

Standup content can be anecdotal like this evening’s or consist of longer stories. A couple of the latter would provide variety and enhance an already entertaining show.

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