Janey Godley's guests for this show are Andrew J Lederer, Steve Day and Rick Shapiro.

Janey Godley starts with a short bit of stand up. She warns that she'll be swearing, and probably talking too much. She mentions her age, and peeing when she sneezes - which comes up time and again.

She attempts to discuss something with each guest, but it's tricky, because she's easily distracted, and because all of her guests are quick-witted, experienced, stand-up comedians.

Rick Shapiro was a stand in - for Les Dennis, although they joke that Bernard Manning failed to turn up. The humour is often dark, sometimes sexual, and mostly, frequent.

Andrew J Lederer gets accused of looking like a serial rapist, and they discuss his self-written Wikipedia entry.

Janey Godley banters with Steve Day about his deafness. He finds it harder to join in - and to shine in this chat-show scenario - as he's trying to lip-read. But the speaker is constantly changing, and he's in the middle. When his mike doesn't work, and the audience can't hear him, he has a great line: 'Now you know how I feel.'

There are a number of recurring themes: Rick Shapiro's scariness, Anne Frank, therapy, sex, kids (both Janey Godley's and Steve Day's), Jewishness, and Janey Godley's gangster family, complete with gangster funerals.

Towards the end of the 50 minutes, Janey Godley remembers to plug all her guests' shows, and they return to some final banter - via audience questions, which are limited.

The show is good fun, but if this is Janey Godley's bid to show what she can do in order to get a TV show, the format needs some work.

Because all her guests are there at the start, none ever quite gets all her attention, and more dominant personalities could easily take over. Bringing them onto the stage in turn, and having a short focused time with each would allow all to shine.

She is correct at the start - about her not stopping talking. Traditionally, the art of a chat-show host is not to do so, but to let the guests talk. But Janey Godley is a fascinating character, and her guests - and audience - want to know about her as much as she does about them. So, strangely, that works.

Cast Credits: Host - Janey Godley. Guests (alpha order): Steve Day. Andrew J Lederer. Rick Shapiro.

Company Credits: Producer - John Fleming. Technical Operator - Stuart Cowan. Company - Janey Godley. www.Janey Godleygodley.co.uk/fringe2007

END

(c) Gill Smith 2007

Reviewed Saturday 4 August 07 / The Green Room

Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2008