Theatresports: Downstairs at the Kings Head, Crouch End, London, 1992
The Jack Docherty Show (TV Recording): Whitehall Theatre, London, 1995 – 1998
Pleasance Late Show: Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh, 2013
Michael Legge: The Idiot: The Stand Comedy Club: Edinburgh, 2019
Michael Legge: Next Up Comedy Festival: Online: 2020
I saw Irish comedian Michael Legge in 1992 when I first came down to London. He was appearing Downstairs at The Kings Head in Crouch End as part of the improvised stage show Theatresports alongside writer Stella Duffy and fellow comedian John Gordillo.
From 1995 to 1998, Legge was then a regular warm-up compere for recordings of The Jack Docherty Show, the Channel 5 TV chat show where Legge displayed a natural wit and charm making the audience feel at home in order to be prepared for Docherty to appear on stage and create the TV recordings.
Fast forward to 2013 and Legge was compere at the Pleasance Late Show in 2013 at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. He had turned into a spark for humiliation and irritation. He was mad, angry, and hilarious leading the audience to laugh with and at him.
One of the highlights of the 2019 Edinburgh Festival Fringe for me was to see Legge perform his solo show The Idiot in August 2019. Seeing as this was the first show at midday and I remembered him from calmly warming up for The Jack Docherty Show that I used to regularly watch being recorded in the nineties, I was expecting a relaxed, easy-going hour from the Irish comedian. What the packed audience got was a tirade of anger and incredible set pieces and storytelling about his hate for the Ukulele, his embarrassing body, and his love for Iggy Pop. By the end of the hour, he had the entire audience on its feet with his top off playing the Ukulele getting the crowd singing ‘I love Iggy Pop’. It was amazing to watch and exceptionally funny. After the show, I met him and with another friend, he recalled me being at his first Jack Docherty Show gig. I was proud to be at his first and most recent gig.
I was delighted to see Legge online for the Next Up Comedy Festival in July 2020. He was brilliant with the crowd having three or four comic scenarios – including from what life was like before lockdown and his Kindle book launch – being repeated simultaneously through the hour of brilliant, daft stand up.
it was a pleasure to watch this very funny, wonderful comedian perform. Legge is an extraordinary talent and well worth seeing.