BRITISH COMIC Steve Rawlings left Barbados with new disciples after his stand-up act before a Virgin Atlantic Holders Season audience last Monday.
At the end of the one-hour session, hundreds of patrons at the Holders House, St James venue were won over by Rawlings; contented after feasting on a diet of comedy.
Rawlings, who at one time was joined by his son Jay, took the audience through a routine of juggling bottles, plates, glasses, swords, fire torches and blowing ping-pong balls from his mouth on the show billed as Comedy Night.
It was not that Rawlings is the greatest act around, but his performance was lively, spontaneous and punctuated with personable quips which the audience rewarded with thunderous applause.
“You know there are some magicians or jugglers you watch and you go: ‘Wow! how did he do that’ and then there are others you watch and you say, ‘Why did he do that?’” was one line.
Another was: “Any Americans in the house? Is it or is it not true that there are fat people in America who are suing the fast food companies for making them fat? That is fantastic – that means that I can sue Budweiser for all the ugly women I have been with.”
Another line was: “I am now looking for a good-looking intelligent gentleman from the audience. Sir (pointing to a man in the crowd), would you look around and see if you can find someone?”
One of the highlights of the evening was the juggling hat routine with his son Jay.
“I got a little surprise for you. I have a 21-year-old son and when he heard I was coming [to Barbados] I was his best friend,” said Rawlings jokingly.
He further endeared himself to his audience by laughing at himself, demanding his applause and engaging them with acts.
A bit of background shows that Rawlings launched his career as a special guest star in the West End production Sugar Babies alongside Mickey Rooney and Ann Miller.
He also appeared in the Royal Variety Performance before Queen Elizabeth II.
The Holders Season, in its 21st year, also featured the hilarious musical British duo singer Kit Hesketh-Harvey and pianist James McConnel, and Barbadian clarinetist Anthony Hood.
