Bristol Review

22 April 2008

Dave Spikey If laughter really is the best medicine, then we should be calling Dave Spikey Doctor Dave.

Dave Spikey - The Best Medicine: Colston HallThe silver-haired joker will be known to millions of television viewers for starring in hit Channel 4 sitcom Phoenix Nights, which he also co-wrote with fellow comedian Peter Kay.

Now he's wowing audiences with his hilarious new stand-up show The Best Medicine.

The comedian's way of poking gentle fun at the working class has played a significant part in enabling Spikey to step out of the considerable shadow cast by Boltonian chum Kay.

Effortlessly in command of his two hours' worth of material, Spikey has an amiable style that had the audience in the palm of his hand.

The comic's previous stand-up shows have often touched on "dobbers" - overweight, slovenly folk who name their children Chantelle-Demi and have a penchant for pastry, pies and chunky jewellery - and this was no exception.

With his medical background (he worked in the NHS for 30 years) he is scathing of government strategies to get obese people to shed the pounds by giving them dancing lessons. "The only time you'll get a dobber on the dance floor is by telling them the buffet's open," he grins.

Chock-full of top-class one-liners, this was an accomplished and highly polished show, which serves to underline Spikey's pedigree as one of the UK's premiere stand-up comics.

Spikey may not be at the cutting edge of comedy but, if laughter really is the best medicine, punters were sent home with their immune systems well and truly topped up.

8/10

NATALIE HALE

Article adapted and accessible at:
http://www.thisisbristol.com/displayNode.jsp?...rmname=sidebarsearch