The Urban Dictionary defines ‘shits and giggles’ as “excitement gained from an often simple action or occurrence”. Gits and Shiggles’s launch night at The Islington provided just that. It was funny, featured a fine variety of acts, and didn’t try too hard – perfect for a Friday night.
The event was headlined by Shappi Khorsandi, a familiar face from appearances on BBC staples such as Live at the Apollo and Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow. During her set, she generally steered clear of her usual repertoire of jokes about being a woman and being Iranian, and her performance was funnier as a result.
However, the star of the night was Luisa Omielan, second on the bill. She had the audience simultaneously squirming in their seats and laughing out loud as she spent her entire set talking about how much she wanted sex. Her energy ensured that even a faulty microphone proved no hindrance.
Omielan was followed by Mark Stephenson – initially he simply grinned and chuckled inanely onstage, leaving the audience unsure as to whether he had forgotten his set or if it was part of his routine. However, once he got going he won over the sold-out audience with his quick wit and snide comments about his own jokes.
Joz Norris went for an unconventional icebreaker. For unexplained reasons – he simply insisted he had “acquired it” – he came dressed as a 1920s woman, complete with a dress and straw boater. From here, his set went from strength to strength, coming across as unscripted and effortless, and full of natural wit.
The closing act was Pat Cahill, who bore an unnerving resemblance to Mark Stephenson. His songs and mimes made a refreshing break from the more conventional stand-up sets that had preceded him, and his set finished the evening on a high.
The night was compèred by Stuart Laws, who was generally funny, but over indulged between sets to such an extent that the organiser had to politely request that he “keep it short”.
Although the line-up varies from event, if the standard of the opening night is anything to go by, Gits and Shiggles is well worth a visit.
Tickets are £4; more information can be found at the event’s Facebook page.
