Always Be Comedy: The Tommyfield pub, Kennington, London, 2016
Luke Kempner: Take A Long Hard Luke At Yourself: Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh, 2017
Always Be Comedy: The Tommyfield pub, Kennington, London, 2018
Always Be Comedy Online: Show Five: 2020
Luke Kempner’s Twitch Match Special: Online: 2020
Always Be Comedy Online: Online: 2020
Return Of The Craic Online Comedy Club: Online: 2021
Luke Kempner and Friends: 2Northdown, London: 2021
Always Be Comedy Online: Online: 2022
Musical: Idiots Assemble: Spitting Image The Musical (voice): The Phoenix Theatre, London, 2023
Luke Kempner: Luke Kempner in Gritty Police Drama: A One Man Musical: Edinburgh Fringe 2023, Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh, 2023
I always enjoy and admire watching impressionists and Luke Kempner is one of the best of the current crop. Having seen Kempner perform at Always Be Comedy in 2016, I had high hopes for his Edinburgh Fringe show Take a Long Hard Luke At Yourself when I went to see it in 2017. I was not disappointed: Kempner is a funny guy, very personable and even showed a glimpse of excellent singing talent during his show. He switched characters with ease (from an uncanny Andy Murray morphing into Alan Carr then onto Louis Theroux) and has developed some lengthier, more concise pieces which serve to showcase his talents.
Kempner played Always Be Comedy in October 2018 and highlights in his fifteen-minute set included Michael McIntyre, Alan Carr, Iain Stirling, Donald Trump and Andy Murray plus Jeremy Kyle who featured in an inspired routine and questioned passengers on the night bus home!
In May 2020, Kempner appeared at Always Be Comedy Online in the guise of Joe Wicks and Gary Barlow. The routines were inspired and hysterical. Both impressions were exceptionally accurate, and Kempner was extremely likeable, funny and very entertaining with the audience.
Kempner had the inspired idea of making an online show using a computer-based cricket game and providing all the voices of the cricket commentators. I watched in July 2020 and everyone from Geoffrey Boycott to Henry Blofeld could be heard which enhanced the viewing experience with a high comic effect. To watch, please go to:
https://www.twitch.tv/lukekempner
Kempner appeared at Always Be Comedy Online in November 2020. Kempner was a major talent and the impressions were extremely accurate and impressive. He gave us Donald Trump, Joe Wicks and David Attenborough each with five-minute sketches and backdrops highlighting their familiarities and placing them in absurd situations.
The comedian also appeared for Return Of The Craic Comedy Club in February 2021 where his new impersonation, Piers Morgan was hysterical and he was extremely funny with the audience.
Kempner was host and tried out new tour material for Luke Kempner and Friends at 2Northdown in October 2021 and for Always Be Comedy online in 2022. Preparing for the forthcoming tour, Macho Macho Man, he was effortlessly funny easily chatting with the audience, delivering wonderful impersonations of Iain Stirling, Michael McIntyre, Boris Johnson, Donald Trump and producing hilarious routines about his love of football, his love of musical theatre and becoming a new dad.
He supplied many of the voices (along with comedians Al Murray, Luke Kempner, Debra Stephenson, Jess Robinson, Josh Berry and more), for over 100 latex puppets that made up Idiots Assemble: Spitting Image The Musical. Seen in July 2023, and performed by puppeteers at the Phoenix Theatre in London, the live stage show was uproariously funny and extremely entertaining.
In August 2023, I watched Kempner perform his amazing solo show, Luke Kempner in Gritty Police Drama: A One Man Musical at the Edinburgh Fringe. Telling a fictitious crime story involving a celebrity murder, impersonating everyone from the cast of TV’s Line Of Duty, Happy Valley, Clarkson’s Farm, The Traitors, Match of the Day to members of the Royal Family, politicians, Ant & Dec, James Corden, David Attenborough, Ian McKellen and more. In fact, 60 impressions all played by one man. The story included terrific musical numbers, the modern impressions were extremely accurate, and the jokes were hysterically funny. Kempner’s talent for mimicry and visual comedy was on display throughout, and clearly exhausted after a frantic enjoyable hour, he deservedly got a standing ovation. This was one of the best shows at the 2023 Fringe from a very entertaining performer.
Kempner is a master comedian and impressionist and I look forward to seeing him again soon.