It has been quarter of a century since Clinton Baptiste made his debut on Peter Kay’s Phoenix Nights. Initially a cult hero, he is now mainstream and selling out theatres for his seventy-minute hilarious delve into the spirit world. It’s all going well. As Baptiste would say, “Shawaddywaddy”!
Actor and voice over artist Alex Lowe’s creation is so loved because he is so well observed from the old-fashioned showman charlatan clairvoyant. Clinton Baptiste directly channels a mix of Derek Acorah and a bad Elvis impersonator. Bedecked in a satin and sequin white jump suit and mid 1980s peroxide mullet, he is a ridiculous sight. At the end of the day Clinton is the butt of every joke although that is not how it feels if you are sat on the first three rows!
Lowe delivers a very structured set. He allows Baptiste off the leash occasionally to deal with a heckler or latecomer but it is always within the parameters of his honed script. Where Lowe excels is making it seemingly improvised. Baptiste enters the stage with a sack of insults and offence for his willing volunteers but Lowe shapes them – carefully selecting the individual to mould the slur. Beware… sit further back in the theatre if you don’t want to be mocked.
Baptiste peppers his spirit channeling with episodes to update us about his life. Dating a pretty dire, fire-eating performer with a singed nose and no eyebrows is a highlight as well as taking audience questions written down before the show. The finale of the show is a fusion between pre-prepared questions to put to the spirit world and the odd genuine, bizarre request: a microcosm of the show.
Clinton Baptiste is not for the easily offended. He is at his funniest when limbering up to receive ‘communication’ from the dead and audience interaction. Congratulating himself in correctly guessing the name of the audience member a fraction of a second after they tell him is a joke that should get old but never does. The character is unique on the comedy circuit which has allowed Lowe twenty-five years of success. Although personality and performance are at the heart of the show, the script occasionally feels a little dated. Lowe is fantastic at finding the funny adjective or cultural reference. However, it doesn’t always translate into belly laughs. It is an incredibly enjoyable show but not one that leaves you fighting for breath.
Impressively, Lowe also performs his own support. Barry from Watford made appearances on Steve Wright’s BBC Radio 2 show as well as Iain Lee’s LBC show. Lowe plans to tour this persona more widely in the future with support from Clinton Baptiste. An interesting reversal from this character comedian.
Reviewed on 13th June 2026
The Reviews Hub Star Rating
-
6
