Grinning in my sleep (From Western Telegraph)

Grinning in my sleep

Laugh Lines Comedy Club, Queens Hall, Narberth, February 10th

Laughed! Now there's an understatement!

My face ached. I forgot to drink my beer and my neck was stiff from hiding behind the lady in front in fear of being subjected to a terrifying grilling from the acid tongue of the first act, an Irish comic bearing an uncanny resemblance to Father Ted!

This was the first anniversary show for the Laugh Lines Comedy Club at the Queens Hall and the evening got off to a brilliant, if slightly unsettling, start.

The less gregarious members of the audience visibly shrank away from the steely gaze of Caimh McDonald.

As the evening progressed, we were faced with a potent mix of comedy and music.

The pace was set by Duncan Oakley, a master on the electric guitar and a talented facial contortionist who delighted in putting a very interesting spin on classic tunes including an interesting rendition of a Jimi Hendrix song in the style of Chewbacca from Star Wars.

Oakely's jokes, fired at the audience at a breakneck speed, saw no boundaries or limitations. The line of decency was more than crossed, if not chewed up and spat out.

He left the stage with the audience exhausted and thankful they had not brought easily offended parents or elderly family members along.

In his debut performance, the young Jim Berrigan, from Haverfordwest, had no easy job flanked by three comedians with 40 plus years of experience between them.

Jim put up a valiant performance, impressing the audience with his staying power and courage.

The evening was rounded off by Earl Oaken, a frequent performer at the Edinburgh Festival. The audience was treated to a half-hour of uncontrollable laughter.

Calls of nature were put off for fear of missing any part of the act by a man who looked very much like a recently retired accountant.

With only his guitar and a pout which Victoria Beckham would have been proud of, he seduced the crowd with unparalleled lyrical genius.

This was a night that left me grinning in my sleep and making a mental note not to miss the future comedy nights, held every second Thursday of the month.