Billy Connolly: Two Night Stand

This 90 minute recording is excerpts (one hopes) of 45 minutes each from Billy Connolly's live appearances in London and Glasgow in 1997.

Connolly's seemingly rambling style of anecdotal comedy has it's own accumulative build, on both occasions, where he utilises physical movement and vocal impressions to create a world of hilarious chaos.

The direction of the pieces (Billy Sneddon in London, Annabel Vine in Glasgow) is for the most part seamless, with the camera-work not intruding betwen Billy and the audience. As in a tour, the set in both cities is the same, being phrases written over the backdrop, as if cues for the comedienne, that are un-necessary. A stool is also provided, though Billy does not use it, preferring to prowl the stage in his nervous excitement (pity the poor camera operator who has to keep with him). Thankfully, the camera for the most part presents Connolly in medium shot, since his comedy relies upon immediacy and rapport.

In London, some of the topics covered are the Irish, limousine service, funny awful things including a take on a man in Los Angeles with Tourette's Syndrome, the curse of being funny as a failure to get women, fat people, and a motorbike accident. In Glasgow (where Billy has lost his wild beard) the topics include the Olympics, "toffs" ie rich people and an invitation to Christmas dinner, Mad Cow Disease, aging and shouting, and lions and wilderbeasts.