Laurence Clark: Spastic Fantastic!

Laurence Clark isn't being offensive by calling his show Spastic Fantastic!, he has cerebral palsy. It's possibly inappropriate to use that as the opening line of a review, but Laurence readily admits he picked the name based on the fact it was the most un-PC title he could think of. That media manipulation has been a huge success – Clark has a successful run at the Pleasance and bags of press exposure.

There's something of a contradiction in this show, however. Using his trusty Powerpoint presentation he shows us a quote from last year's review of his show in the List , praising him for “raising awareness.” Although Clark makes a series of excellent quips on this phrase (does reading the Daily Mail raise awareness of the Daily Mail?) it is clear that it rankles him that his show is being reduced to a disability awareness routine. Nevertheless, a large portion of the show relies on the comedy inherent in the awkward relationship between the disabled and non-disabled that stems from a lack of awareness.

Happily that comedy is remarkably funny, and Laurence delivers it in a self-deprecating yet self-assured manner. The story of Cherie Blair calling him a “stand-up comedian” (geddit?) and her subsequent media crucifixion is superb, as are his frequent videos showing him interacting with the general public – will people give a disabled man money even if his charity bucket asks you to top up Heather Mills divorce settlement? Maybe Clark is raising awareness, even if he doesn't like it, but at least he's a damn fine comedian as well.