Milton Jones – 30th November 2011 – Glive, Guildford, Surrey.
The stage is prepared for Milton Jones
A look of confusion is amongst the audience as Milton Jones kneels down next to an Overhead Projector, gathering up his acetate sheets. A small image is projected onto the screen, captioned by Jones’s voice as he turns something so simple into one of the funniest jokes of the night.
Jones is not a well known stand up name, one off appearances on panel shows such as ‘Mock the Week’ have given him some credit, but he is not over demanding for attention like his counterparts in the comedy world. However the 46 year old holds his own on the stage in the 1,000 seated GLive theatre. Opened only in September this year, Jones is one of the first to take its stage.
His quick wit and one liners fill the venue with laughter. Unlike others, Jones doesn’t need rudeness in his jokes to entertain and it is refreshing to hear jokes that are not too embarrassing to repeat. This allows the audience to warm to Jones, helped by that he first appears dressed as his Granddad. A confused yet hilarious character that Jones pulls off excellently, using everyday stereotypes of forgetfulness and repetition, he is believable and hilarious.
Seen on television as a quiet and shy character Jones diminishes this image on stage. He is able to react well with his audience, demanding to know if there are any university students present. His quick wit is however stuck in thought whilst he tries to conjure up a joke for a Multi-media Journalism student. Biding his time whilst he asks what the student will do after University (radio), he offers, “Here’s a tip for you, close your eyes for the rest of the show and just listen”, showing that nothing can defeat him.
Jones is a great entertainer, his jokes so simple yet extremely entertaining. His work on wordplay is excellent and well thought about. His effort is not lost in the audience’s reaction, cries of laughter fill the venue as somehow Jones manages to keep a straight face on stage.
As Jones switches off the overhead projector, a core part of the show, he does not disappoint. His many one-liners and comical jokes have come to an end. He hasn’t run out though, gracing the stage once more for a fabulous encore, who knows what else he has up his sleeve.
Abacus Journalism 