We think Josie Long is magic. Like, properly magic. With spells and prestidigitation and conjuration and that. This is the only way we can explain how she is able to perform to sell-out crowds at a venue as large at The Bloomsbury Theatre, but still totally capture the spirit, warmth, friendliness and intimacy of a small, lo-fi indie comedy gig. When we saw her earlier this year at Stewart Lee's fund-raiser to release a box-set of cult comic Ted Chippington, she brought light and joy to the stage, and thoroughly charmed everyone in the audience. Therefore, she must be magic.
To our intense delight, she's back at The Bloomsbury Theatre this Saturday, running a show called Josie Long and Friends, where she promises:
"surprises and free things and excitements and one offs".
And who doesn't like one-offs?
She's booked a cracking line-up. Heading the bill is Tony Law, a sublime comedian for whom exuberant flight-of-fantasy story-telling is second nature. He shares his surreal tales with such passion and conviction that you'll really believe he has a time-travelling sausage-dog, and your life will be all the richer for it. You'll also get to see comic actor and 2004 Perrier winner Will Adamsdale, alongside the beautifully lyrical and imaginative work of Isy Suttie, and the electronic Casiotone-funnies of David O'Doherty.
Here's David O'Doherty playing one of his best-known songs. He only gigs in London occasionally, so it'd be worth going for him alone; the fact that the bill features four other glorious comedians means that if you miss out, you'll need a very good excuse if you want Londonist to forgive you!
Josie Long and Friends will be performing at 7.30pm on Saturday 27th October at The Bloomsbury Theatre, 15 Gordon Street, WC1H 0AH (click for map). Nearest tube: Euston/Euston Square/Warren Street. Tickets £13.50/£12 concessions. Click here to book on-line, or call 0207 388 8822.
