Otis Lee Crenshaw and the Black Liars: London Not Tennessee [DVD] [2001]

Description

Product Description Sardonic and knowing US comic Rich Hall takes to the stage as Otis Lee Crenshaw, redneck, ex-con country singer in this parodic musical comedy show. Filmed live over two nights at London's Comedy Store, Otis proffers his wisdom on a variety of subjects garnered from a life on the wrong side of the tracks. Otis is accompanied by backing group The Black Liars. desertcart.co.uk Review For the satirist, country music has always presented the slowest moving of targets; the genre wears its absurdities on its sleeve, has an appeal which baffles non-adherents and is generally most beloved by people who don't pay money to watch the clever mock things they believe are beneath them. On paper, then, Otis Lee Crenshaw--the creation of American comic Rich Hall--should be about as funny as the Barron Knights in ten-gallon hats. The reality is that Crenshaw, as evinced by this recording of a performance before a nigh hysterical London audience, is very funny indeed. This is because Hall's satire is grounded, one suspects, in an abiding love of country music and as such is laughing with the music and fans rather than at it; he holds an unmistakable depth of knowledge of its conventions and idioms. In a guttural drawl evocative of what John Hiatt might sound like with a broken jaw, Hall/Crenshaw delivers a series of impeccably observed pastiches, inspired improvisations and, most memorably, a triumphant deconstruction of "Jailhouse Rock". --Andrew Mueller Review: Brilliantly original. - I was never a huge fan of character comics but in recent times i have come to like both Al Murray's pub landlord and this, Rich Hall's Otis Lee Crenshaw. Hall has created a brilliantly original character from the streets of Tennessee and provides a fantastic hour plus of entertainment on this DVD. Originally i was put off by the cover of the DVD but eventually chose to part with my hard earned cash and i have to say i'm delighted i did. Rich Hall is fantastic entertainment as Otis Lee Crenshaw incorporating both stand-up and comedy songs, which are very amysing, into his act. He is incredibly witty and this shows in the DVD during the occasions where he chooses to make certain audience members squirm. Rich Hall has won the coveted Perrier Award, The Adelaide Festival Fringe Award and the Time Out Comedy Award for his character and he is fully deserving judging by the content on this DVD. Don't be put off by the cover or even character comics like i was originally. This is genuinley funny and a great example of Rich Hall's fantastic comic ability. Review: Comedy treat - I take my comedy seriously and found myself really enjoying this. Stand up with song (that I see is becoming popular again with acts such as Izzy Suttie / David O Docherty - excuse any spelling errors) done well here. 7.5 out of 10 Enjoyable.