Review: Miles Jupp, Hazlitt Theatre, Maidstone, Wednesday, May 16

by Fred Atkins

There's something oddly brilliant about Miles Jupp. At Maidstone's Hazlitt Theatre on Wednesday night he captivated a near full house for almost 90 minutes with Fibber in the Heat, the tale of how he masqueraded as a cricket journalist during England's tour of India in 2006.

As someone who admits he'll always be remembered for "258 episodes of Balamory" Jupp has carved a niche for himself as a performer on the panel show circuit with his brand of posho-surrealism.

Watched by an audience that included his fellow comedian Mark Steel, Jupp began his act with a quip about Harlow: "I'm not really sure what the point of it is," and then followed up with some industrial strength sledging of Australians.

"Beating them in the last two Ashes series was merely admin," he said.

After completing a stint on Balamory Live and a panto in Aberdeen he decides to live his dream of becoming a cricket writer and successfully blags his way onto the Indian tour, before his scheme slowly unravels.

He's eventually rumbled by the BBC's Simon Mann: "Some of the chaps think you were in Balamory," though by then he's already decided journalism isn't his forte.

Comedy certainly is however and even non-cricket fans left the theatre with a distinct glow.