Ha Ha Land at the Camden Comedy Club

Taking their title from the much-loved 2017 Oscar winner, La La Land, complete with Another Day in the Sun playing in the background, British Ryan Dalton and New Zealander Jake Howie present today’s stand-up comedy, as part of the Camden Fringe.

Dalton wastes no time in mocking unassuming audience members. Howie presents himself in overtly camp fashion, diving straight into what he refers to as “gay comedy”, stating how London water “tastes like assholes, and not in a fun way”. Talking about spoken word performances, Howie makes funny facial expressions, recounting how his “anus looks like a scrunchie”, mocking artistes. He counteracts the humour with more serious opinions towards the art, describing how it is an amazing form. The performer’s voice changes – mimicking his mother well – as he tells tales of suburban New Zealand. Raised in the Church of Scientology, he merges family stories with his own personal life (his engagement). He is comfortable with lewd and crass jokes, which might not be to everyone’s taste, as with all art. His sketch is typical of grandmother jokes and Jewish ones too, contrasted with Dalton’s more surreal set of animal love and veganism and how he “came out” to his family.

Essentially made up of British humour – hangovers, disliking people, London underground – Howie’s set combines realism with sketches of animal experiences creating quirky surrealism. One highlight is his explanation of the lack of stunt horses used in films, as he mimics horses, including a posh one and another high on drugs.

Funny in their own right, Ryan Dalton and Jake Howie are ruthless when together; one cringeworthy moment is when they mock an audience member who regrettably tells of his wildest experience: sex in a library. The sketches merge seamlessly, one topic drifting into another, and Ha Ha Land proves to be a fun night out.

Selina Begum

Ha Ha Land was at the Comedy Club from 11^th until 15^th August 2017.

For further information about Camden Fringe Festival 2017 visit the website here.