Review: 99 Problems And The Chips Still Ain’t One at South Shields Customs House

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Steffen Peddie

99 Problems And The Chips Still Ain’t One

South Shields Customs House

30^th July 2016

Steffen Peddie has starred in the BBC tv series Hebburn and has kept the Metro Radio’s Night Owls’ hot seat warm whilst Alan Robson was away. Tonight he used the wealth of his life’s experience to produce a wonderfully funny show.  But just like Night Owls the evening relies upon the audience input and hence each show is unique.

This was show #29 for Steffen in this format and we enjoyed a completely different series of gags and situations compared to our last visit (NETG Review link).

Steffen comes across as a friendly personable bloke and he keeps the proceedings pretty light hearted given some of the topics brought up by the punters. He starts the show by introducing himself and pointing out some of life’s scrapes that he has found himself in. A microphone is then passed to a volunteer from the audience whose job it is to pull out, and read, the evenings problems. The problems had previously been written by the audience and placed in a box upon arrival. Steffen’s mastery comes then to the fore as he turns these issues into a comical story. He has no control over which problems will come up so his only preparation is life itself.

The South Shieldscrowd were on form tonight as we were given treats from dieting plans, squeezing into seats, nightmare daughters and online dating through to amusing fights.  Each of the problems led to a series of amusing anecdotes and situations from Steffen.   He is never cruel to members of the audience but the various towns that we live in are fair game.

Steffen discusses the clashes of cultures between the London based crew and the Geordie cast on tv programmes and how the audience get sucked into believing wrestling is real. Adding to the peril for the comic tonight were the fact his mother and his wife were in tonight’s audience.  It added an edge on to stories of school, swans and Starbucks; dating, daughters and diet classes. Whilst chips are never a problem, you can have too many toppings on them.

The show ran for over 2 hours, including an interval, and Steffen never let up on the pace or big laughs. It is a big, bold show that leaves the audience feeling good. The South Shieldscrowd were as much a part of the show as their accommodating host. Steffen is surely heading for bigger shows – miss him at your peril.

Steffen Peddie appeared as part of the South Tyneside Comedy Festival which runs until Saturday 6^th August 2016. Details can be found on the South Shields Customs House website LINK.  Read our preview here: NETG Comedy Preview

Photos credit: Andy Hollingworth

Tickets:

Steffen Peddie will be bringing the show back to the region on Tuesday 27th September 2016 when it comes to the Newcastle Stand Comedy Club

Tickets £8

Buy tickets & get more details from:

http://www.thestand.co.uk/show/27588/steffen_peddie_-_99_problems_and_the_chips_still_aint_oneor call the box office on 0191 300 9700.