Ben Van der Velde - Van der Laugh Generator

A stand-up comedy show by Ben Van Der Velde, built around improvised material on a wide range of everyday subjects. The show is presented at The Book and Record Bar in London.

Ben Van Der Velde, described in the listing as one of the strongest improvisers on the stand-up circuit, takes on the overwhelming amount of information in the world as the subject of this comedy show. The material moves quickly between very different topics, with genetics, tattoos, XL bullies and board games among those named in the listing, and the show is presented as a comic take on working through a huge body of knowledge at once.

The listing describes the evening as a comedy version of reading an encyclopedia from cover to cover, with the comedian drawing humour from whatever subject comes up. It is a stand-up show, so the focus is on one performer speaking directly to the audience and reacting to ideas as they develop, rather than on a play or a scripted sequence of scenes.

The listing suggests the show will appeal to fans of Ross Noble and Jason Byrne, and of playful, absurd comedy. Reviews quoted by the source praise its spontaneous energy and the way the audience responds. The Book and Record Bar is a London venue that hosts concerts and shows.