The Third Russell
WORDS: Ryan Heeger (Editor) /
A Monday night in Cardiff in January doesn't always have much to offer beyond staying in.
If snow has just started to fall (and settle), enthusiasm for cultural enlightenment diminishes further.
When your pocketed hand clutches two tickets to see one of the UK's fastest-rising comedians at St David's Hall as part of his Gaping Flaws Tour, however, the risk of being snowed in with 300 other punters is a no-brainer.
"Good evening and welcome to the foyer of St David's Hall," Russell Kane announces sarcastically offstage. It is a bizarre gig in that all are seated in the third floor bar area, but make no mistakes, the Laughing Horse New Act winner and if.comedy (tour sponsors) nominee shall one day tread the boards of the hallowed main room.
In the support slot is comedienne and Kane's better half, Sadie Hasler who reels off a list of misguided and eccentric characters including a terrorist PTA mother and Victorian letter-writing harlot tormenting her former conjoined twin. Some work better than others, but as another new talent honing their craft over a lengthy tour, all went down well.
Russell Kane enters in his usual style. Looking like Anthony Kiedis after one E-number too many, we're immediately hammered with a flurry of Welsh-baiting and self deprication which gels us for the night.
Describing himself as 'the third Russell' after Brand and Howard (although if he witnessed the former's debacle of an appearance here in 2007 he'd nudge himself up at least one place), Kane delivers a slightly different set than advertised.
The human PowerPoint slides are absent, possibly due to technical problems(!), but it goes unnoticed as we're treated to one man and his mic speeding through anecdotes of his tough loving dad and the reason we as a nation are happy with mediocrity, a long as we have the pub.
Refreshing, infectiously energetic and someone you'd love to have a drink with, theSprout caught Kane compeering at London's Comedy Store last summer (and then on Live at the Apollo at Christmas), and has been keeping an eye on him since.
It's lucky we did, because this is the last time we'd be able to catch him performing in a foyer for a tenner.
