Ever wondered what an octopus rolling down a hill might sound like? Well…no, neither had I in all honesty. However along with the rest of the Camden Crawlers who had packed out the Black Heart on Sunday, Jim Campbell’s set enlightened me on this very mystery. Not only that, there were choice observations a-plenty on everything from the dole to David Attenborough. Witty and self-deprecating, Campbell was well-received within seconds of starting the routine. 

He probably had Show Me The Funny’s winner Patrick Monahan to thank for this, as the crowd were certainly engaged by the time Monahan made way for Campbell. The Irish-Iranian comic certainly pushed boundaries (I won’t be sitting in the front at his gig anytime soon) but his playful banter was well-received and his enthusiastic campaign for uniformdating.com had me in stitches. 

Compere Thom Tuck performed courageously against the waves of people choosing to leave in between performances. The flexibility of the Camden Crawl is part of its great appeal; however I can imagine that’s not how Tuck felt as he delivered the majority of his routine to people’s backs as they headed for the toilet or on to the next bar. To his credit he persevered and the gig didn’t lose too much momentum between comics, although there was something a little toe-curling about his intimate tales of frozen grapes being delivered to a committed few. 

For me though, Campbell’s relaxed delivery and difficulty in accepting his status as a grown up captured the Camden Crawl’s demographic perfectly and was my comedy highlight for the weekend. If you get a chance, catch his show Jim Campbell: 9 year old man at the Edinburgh Festival. It’s a few months off, but finding out that old conundrum - what does an octopus rolling down a hill sound like? - is well worth the wait.

Review: Jo Hanks