"Even in our enlightened days, there are otherwise astute fellows who reckon Women Ain't Funny.
"I say three words: Brand, Saunders and - you guessed it - Barker.
"'Cause this is the third time I've seen Hils and she gets better and better. She lays into current affairs but through her own distinctive lens, unleashing Brand-worthy barbs at Daily Mail correspondents and Swiss refugees. She builds up irresistible rapport, but boasts the bile to differ delivery and the style to eschew tried 'n' tested titters for fresh finesse. She even spices up the tired stand-up format by meshing into music: Irish folk parody that reels you in to the last then splashes out the inherent irony, Bruce Springsteen pastiches that don't have to reel you in 'cause you're with her all the way anyways, a 'Maybe-it's-because-I'm-a-Londoner' mick-take that... Ah go see. (And to those poncey purists who cock a snoot at musical interludes, I say three more words: Monkhouse, Bailey and, um, Barker.)
"Sure, it isn't comedy perfection. There are moments when she loses the plot and seems to recite a script rather than respond to the sit. And some of the political stuff ain't just predictable, it's so damn vague it was probably topical five years ago when she first dared tread the boards. And a coupla those hecklers got dangerously close to ruffling her feathers instead of rippling her waves.
"But who cares? Hils Barker is enlightened, astute and - you guessed it - bust-yer-sides funny."
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