Cultural Dessert

Phil Hammond is a GP who has carved out an extensive second career as a comedian with regular appearances on Radio 4, a column in Private Eye and even a stint in the dictionary corner on Countdown! We saw him at the Maltings Arts Theatre in St Albans at the beginning of a new national tour. He is a very slick performer: the material about his childhood and medical training seemed to be delivered with a speed and confidence that suggested it was far from the first time he had used it but it was still very funny. Phil Hammond is not a stand-up comedian who happens to be a doctor: almost all of his material is about the medical profession or the absurdities of the NHS. He clearly feels passionately about many of the current problems in the health service but at times his more serious rants sat slightly uncomfortably next to some of the comic set-pieces. Nevertheless he was impressive, assured and very funny.