"I understand Joe Bor's a newbie - only a coupla years playing the circuit.
"I also understand the old adage about keeping up the day job (in his case, teachin' - or at least, assistant teachin').
"But there's nothing wrong with that. Sometimes it's the beginners who stumble across the best lines (I once had an entire, minutely-crafted routine fall flat - only to be saved by an off-the-cuff remark. Remarkable). More importantly, it's the day job that gives Mr Bor not only the time to spread his wings - but also the fire to fuel his belly. His horror at the vicissitudes of tryna control kids would put Basil Fawlty to shame. His reminisce at the cruelty of pupil-to-pupil gets me reminiscent of St. Trinian's (that's a compliment, by the way). And his overall reworking of school days only goes to show that often, the best laughs come not from the philosophising on the meaning of life but from the banal nonsensities we all got subjected to. Jack Dee's moaning, 'Little Britain''s satirising and the criminally under-rated Sarah Kendall's ironising all come to mind...
"Joe has a neat way with anecdotes (think Peter Ustinov). And a neater way with parody (think Steve Coogan). And a neatest-of-all way with an audience (think the last time you watched stand-up and laughed 'cause it was funny and not 'cause you were determined to enjoy a night out).
"Joe's funny now. And he's gonna be hilarious soon."
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