An entertaining evening but I was Wanging in there for something more.
Phil Wang is a 33-year-old, British-Malaysian comedian known for his stand-up and comedy sketch group ‘Daphne’. He has appeared numerous times on television, including BBC’s Live at the Apollo and Channel 4’s Taskmaster and has a Netflix special ‘Philly Philly Wang Wang’. Prior to this evening I had enjoyed his comedy on multiple different entertainment and panel shows, such as BBC’s ‘Would I Lie to You?’. However, I had not had the pleasure of seeing him perform stand-up live. Perhaps it was this anticipation that led me to be ever so slightly disappointed.
Wang often writes gags around his experiences and observations growing up and living among different cultures. He mostly grew up in Malaysia before moving to the south of England at 16 and continuing his education in Somerset and then at Cambridge. His father is Chinese-Malay and Mother from Stoke-on-Trent, Wang has a quite unique cultural insight which he brings to his humour.
The Royal Festival Hall (RFH) a quite impressive and grand venue, who’s viewing boxes resembled that of the Galactic Senate Chamber in Star Wars. Alas, we were not on Coruscant, but on London’s South Bank. The large wooden stage with a magnificent church organ and network of pipes behind would have likely been an intimidating prospect for any lone performer. Although, the four, tall banners reading Wang, probably helped to remind people that we were at a comedy gig and not ‘Songs of Praise’. Front, centre-stage a solum wired microphone on a stand was all that stood before the comedy and a packed RFH.
Before Phil Wang entered the quite spectacular RFH stage, he introduced his support, Pierre Novellie. Novellie, a South African comedian with a witty-dry style. A strong support and quite a good accompaniment to Wang, as they both have their own witty and dry form. His small set was a bit of a slow burn on me, but really culminating in some intense belly laughs, particularly following his ‘wet’ skit. Novellie’s short set did leave a taste to see more, and he promised to entertain with entirely new material in his London show next month.
Wang strolled onto the stage and seemed instantly comfortable, well as comfortable as Phil Wang can seem. Unfazed by the grand hall, whilst also poking fun at the regal ‘lecture theatre’ and his being there. Interacting with the audience briefly before really getting into his routine, jesting it was a school reunion as there was a large Malaysian contingent in the audience, who shouted that they were from Brunei, where Wang went to School.
Wang’s routine explored jokes about the coronation and the royal family; his family; the differences and similarities between the English and Chinese and Americans; writing a book; as well as some further observations about the English. Wang’s delivery is quite dead pan and nonchalant and utilises a somewhat goofy and awkward physicality for some of his gags. Where the content was mostly relatable and I was chuckling away throughout, I felt there was something missing and another gear I was expecting Wang to step into. I feel maybe, he could have tied the jokes together more, unravelling the story of his routine. That being said, maybe I couldn’t handle the Wang, as only a few seats down a lady was laughing so intensively, she almost completely fell out of her chair on several occasions. All in all, it was an enjoyable evening if not slightly falling short of my anticipation. Whether you are a fan of Phil Wang, or dry, observational humour in general, why not check out his UK tour for yourself.