Edinburgh Fringe Review: Lloyd Langford ‘Galoot’

Words by Susan Ford

Lloyd Langford makes no reference throughout his show to the costume he is wearing this evening, which makes it even funnier as the performance goes on.  The clue to the outfit however may well lie in the title of his show ‘Galoot’, the definition of which is “a fellow, especially one who is strange or foolish”. Lloyd Langford is certainly a galoot, but he does it very cleverly and always at the expense of someone else rather than his own.  The idea of being a galoot forms the basis of his Fringe show this year, and makes for a very funny 60-minute set.

As mentioned, Lloyd is certainly a galoot, as he proved quite extensively when he appeared on Rhod’ Gilbert’s ‘Ask Rhod Gilbert’. Putting his appearance aside, don’t expect too much of Lloyd playing the fool in his set, because he actually has a very well mapped out show for us ahead.  Rather than being the clown himself, Lloyd spends his time pointing out excellent examples of other people who have spectacularly made a laughing stock of themselves, from famous boxers to a shark-wrestler, Lloyd will point out the funny in all situations.

Hailing from Wales, Lloyd Langford finds great pleasure in pointing out local galoots, but not just people, whole cities that could be considered galoots.  His slide show and visual aids help to make simple anecdotes absolutely hilarious, and turn dull news stories into comedy dramas, that you would never have noticed yourself had Lloyd not applied his comedian’s touch to twist the plot. All-in-all, Lloyd has proved he is not just a performer, but also a very good joke writer with his clear script and natural ability to make everything comical.

Lloyd finishes his show with a tale of love, the bizarre and foolish circumstances that prompted him to fall in love with a girl he only knew for 15 minutes.  This is a beautiful anecdote to finish on because it ties the whole show up together in a bright red bow.  If the world wasn’t full of galoots, and no one risked making an idiot out of themselves, we wouldn’t have any interesting stories or great people in this world.  And Lloyd certainly wouldn’t have been able to pull off such a brilliantly funny show either if it wasn’t for these wonderful, if slightly strange people.

Catch Lloyd Langford at the Gilded Balloon every night at 21.30 http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/lloyd-langford-galoot

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