Milli-can make ‘em laugh

I insisted that they were and cited Sarah Millican as an example.

And seeing her live at Sheffield City Hall I can safely say I won my argument.

Playing to a sell-out crowd, and with no support act to warm the audience up first, Millican had everyone laughing from the off.

And she started as she meant to go on - by swearing.

She explained that it’s a release after having her language curbed on TV and radio, but it might have proved a shock to anyone who had only ever seen her on panel shows.

And this live show is certainly not for the prudish, with a lot of references to sex and other bodily functions that had me cringing several times.

Millican comes across as an ordinary Geordie lass and a lot of her stories are about everyday life involving her boyfriend and her parents, relationships everyone could relate to.

She relied, quite bravely I think, on audience participation to keep the gags coming, inviting people to call out answers to questions like: “What have you used as an alternative to toilet paper when you’ve run out?”

To which one person shouted the bizarre reply: “Sandwiches!”

Great when you’ve got an audience that’s up for it, but it must be tough if nobody shouts out anything funny.

Millican will be at Nottingham’s Royal Concert Hall on 9th March 2012 and will return to Sheffield on 11th April.

For full tour and box office details go to www.sarahmillican.co.uk.

By Helen Johnston