http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2014/jun/20/this-weeks-new-live-comedy=== Cariad & Louise’s Character Hour, Brighton & London ===The Old Market, Brighton, Mon; Drink, Shop & Do, N1, ThuThere’s a new generation of character comics around, and they operate by different rules to those followed by their forebears. Sacha Baron Cohen and Steve Coogan are notorious for the detail that goes into their creations, honing everything ruthlessly to create definitively hysterical moments. Members of the new breed, such as Cariad Lloyd and Louise Ford, believe in scuffed edges and deliberate looseness, finding that a lack of polish can result in fresh-feeling comedy. Lloyd’s a former Edinburgh best newcomer nominee who can be seen regularly on kids TV, as well as shows such as Cardinal Burns aimed at grown-ups. Ford is less well-known in comedy circles (although a link-up with Rowan Atkinson earned her tabloid scrutiny) but her performances in Sky1’s Chickens mark her out as one to watch.=== Lloyd Langford, Nottingham ===The Glee Club, Fri to 28 JunLloyd Langford has long been championed by frequent collaborator Rhod Gilbert, and he certainly has the comic chops to emulate his fellow Welshman’s success. His stock in trade is a matter-of-fact dourness, remorselessly picking at the inconsistencies of modern life and refusing to let go until he’s resolved everything to his satisfaction. This results in punchlines as strong as you’ll hear from any arena-filler in the country. Langford’s forthcoming fringe show – Old Fashioned – positions him as a man at odds with his times, exasperated with technology and baffled by the values of the youth of today. All very much what you’d expect from a grizzled middle-aged stand up – except Langford’s barely into his 30s. This sense of an old man stuck in a young man’s body only adds to his unexpected, uncategorisable but overwhelming charm. Maybe this will be the year he makes the move from being highly respected among his peers to becoming a proper star.=== Joseph Morpugo: Odessa, London ===The Invisible Dot, N1, ThuIf you caught Harry And Paul’s Story Of The Twos, you probably spotted a young actor doing an unnervingly accurate take-off of Noel Fielding in give-a-shit Buzzcocks-panellist mode. That was Joseph Morpurgo, and his apparently effortless scene-stealing was no one-off. Morpurgo worked alongside Cariad Lloyd as a member of Austentatious (who improvise a new Jane Austen story every night, based on audience suggestions). Now he’s preparing a solo Edinburgh show. Odessa is an hour of imagined history, using found footage and character comedy to reconstruct a past that definitely didn’t happen. It’s set to be a fine showcase for Morpurgo, whose sharp writing seems to be the equal of his A-grade acting talent. There’s a keen intelligence here that recalls the likes of Jonny Sweet and Simon Bird, as well as a Pajama Men-style love of shouting and silliness.
This week’s new live comedy
23rd June 2014|Lloyd Langford|Noel Fielding|Rowan Atkinson