Hammersmith Apollo, London
After his show was pulled from the Edinburgh fringe, the comic continues his efforts to outrage, resulting in deep discomfort as well as bleak brilliance
“Winner of 50,000 Baftas, and the coveted BBC paedophile of the year award …” No one expected that Jerry Sadowitz would tone down his act after his cancellation at this year’s Edinburgh fringe. His opening words at Hammersmith Apollo – the biggest gig of his 40-year career – swiftly prove the point. This is the show pulled by the Pleasance in Edinburgh after complaints by staff and audience about Sadowitz using the P-word and flashing his penis. The penis is kept in check tonight, but not the P-word, which Sadowitz continues to append to our current PM.
Some will see that as indefensible, regardless of context. The context here is that Not for Anyone is an absolute dumpster fire of decorum, a remarkably sustained 100-minute effort to outrage every propriety going. With grey curls exploding from under his signature top hat, and between wonderfully disdainful magic routines that punctuate the show, Sadowitz lets loose tonight at gay people, geordies, Ian Blackford, the young, all women, all men, Phillip Schofield, scientists, and his fellow Jews, among many, many others. For good (or evil) measure, he cheerleads Putin’s efforts in Ukraine, demands respect for up-skirters, and laments that “every film has been shit” since Harvey Weinstein was incarcerated.
