Crown Court Hotel, Inverness, 17 May 2007

Vladimir McTavish.

A SMALL but enthusiastic crowd greeted Vladimir McTavish on to the stage. Small audiences are a comedians nightmare. Get 200 people in a room and if ten percent laugh the show’s going well. If ten percent of 20 folk laugh, you are in trouble.

Many comedians would have panicked at the prospect, but so great is McTavish’s experience he barely seemed to notice and swung into his one-man show with as much enthusiasm as if the place had been packed to the rafters.

Amongst comedians in Scotland and the rest of the UK, McTavish is one of the most respected performers on the comedy circuit, and with good reason. His appearances are an object lesson in how to perform stand up comedy and his success with audiences displays an enviable reliability as he shows a remarkable ease in gaining the trust of the public.

This was no exception, and as soon as he opened his hour and a half of solo stand up, his manner was relaxed and confident, allowing the audience to feel comfortable with him and to enjoy his rich style of humour.

The show was a rampage through Scottish History. It looked at the values of the nation, took a wry look at the Scot’s relationship with the English, and covered every subject from the origins of the standing stones at Callanish to the problems with the roof of the Scottish Parliament.

Ancient and modern history were brought together as we stand at another crossroads of Scottish history, being closer to independence now than for many years, a fact McTavish took great delight in debunking.

Originally an actor, his vocal skills were much in evidence as performed a hilarious parody of McGonagall’s poem about the Tay Bridge disaster. His impression of an enraged Ian Paisley is second to none and his rendition of an obscene song was perfectly done even if the material was, by definition, dubious.

I have seen McTavish perform many times now in venues as disparate as Orkney Island’s Sailing club, the Edinburgh Fringe and Eden Court Theatre, yet, even though I am familiar with some of his material, he never fails to leave me reeling with laughter, a sign that his material and delivery are both exceptional.

It is a mark of this man’s reputation amongst other comedians that you will see them, lured from the bar, rushing to the back of the room just to catch his act.

I have noticed a change in McTavish’s performances recently. It is difficult to define, but he is gaining stature and gradually perfecting his art to a level that very few on the Scottish comedy scene can equal. This is a result of the efforts of a man who works as hard off stage as he does on as he hones his unique insights into the Scottish psyche.

He is now writing his next Edinburgh Fringe show and, rather than relying on the hours of material he already has, is creating a largely original show. His refusal to take the easy road and use old material reflects his attitude to his comedy, his striving for excellence and refusal to compromise.

It is a tribute to his creativity that his alter ego, drunken football coach, Bob Doolally, is still very much alive and often does his own one-man shows. Most comedians would be happy with one on-stage persona that has gained national recognition, but McTavish has produced two, a measure of this man’s creative drive.

The best is yet to come from this amazing performer. I am sure that the small audience who were at the Crown Court on Thursday night will remember McTavish’s performance for a long time to come. Those who did not see him will have something to regret. Maybe, just maybe, we are seeing the birth of a national treasure.

© John Burns, 2007