We Are Funny Project (3 shows): Dirty Dicks. Liverpool Street, London, 2013
Duke’s Comedy: The Duke’s Head, Putney, London, 2013
Jon Long: Troubadour: Laughing Horse @ The Newsroom, Edinburgh, 2018
Jon Long: Planet Killing Machine: Underbelly, Bristo Square, Edinburgh, 2019
When I went along to comedy try-out nights at the We Are Funny Project and Duke’s Comedy in 2013, Jon Long performed five minutes spots at most and compered at one. Each time, he had a very genial and easy-going style with great audience interaction with quick-fire jokes that was very entertaining and amusing.
One of the things that I find wonderful about the Edinburgh Festival is that having watched an act like Long perform at the very start of his comic journey, is to then see him perform a full hour-long show at the Fringe. After a tiring day, I went along to his late-night offering Troubadour in August 2018 and was delighted to see that he had the audience in the palm of his hand with stand-up comedy and very witty songs ranging from the weird number of things he came across whilst working in a recycling factory to his loathing of running. He had a unique delivery combining audience banter with quirky songs and was wonderful to watch.
A year later, I saw him again at the Fringe in August 2019 perform his new show Planet Killing Machine. Again, it was great to see the continued transformation into a confident musical comedy performer. Tackling serious issues about climate change and his own previous health issues, his audience banter was warm and endearing and the songs were uplifting, catchy and hilarious. Watching his performance in his biggest venue to date, I was delighted for him and wished him every success when I met up with him after his show.