Bottom Live

This was Great! Slapstick comedy at its ultimate best. Although, the sound effects were obviously pained on and fake, that's the entire point of it. Ade & Rik again pull off a timeless classic. Although the plot seemed strange, and the slapstick looked ridiculous, that's the entire point of it. I must admit, having loved the timeless classic that was the television series, I was worried that the live tours would be a bit of a disappointment, as so many other live shows have been in the past, and I am delighted to say I was very much mistaken. So whether you're a die-hard fan, or whether you just like watching two losers kicking and bashing the crap out of each other, then this is one DVD for you. Ignore that stupid TC Raymond idiot, this is good.

To think of this as just slapstick is to miss 90% of the show, we have Rick Mayall who without question is the finest comedy actor of a generation, and perfectly complimented by the incredibly funny Adrian Edmondson.

It doesnt matter whats happening, what matters is the energy and brilliant comedy timing from two masters of the craft...

the stage show was a brilliant move from the makers of bottom the series. It was just as good or better than the series was. Rik and Ade were said to be as fit as men half their age and i totally agree. i rate this 10 out of 10

I thought I'd put in a comment as one of the few Yanks who, with the aid of a region-code-free DVD player, has seen the videos of the `Bottom' shows.

The original TV series has been unavailable to me, so all I know of the two `Bottom' characters is from the taped stage shows (there are three of them). They seem essentially the same as the two characters Rik and Ade played in `The Young Ones,' so if you found them amusing, you might like them in the `Bottom' shows. However, as this is a live stage show, the elaborate sight gags and editing tricks used in `The Young Ones' are out of the question. Also, while they attack their roles with extreme gusto, they are noticeably older. Rik, in particular, looks likely to expire in a pool of perspiration as the show goes on. Sure, he looks a bit grotesque as he's gradually drenched in sweat, but since he appears on stage from the start in ill-fitting blue jeans with his underpants visibly pulled about six inches above his belt, I'd say some additional grotesqueness was not out of place. This is augmented in spades when the blue jeans disappear. At one point in `Bottom 2,' after a prolonged bout of violence, Rik ad-libs loudly that they are `getting too old for this,' a comment he'd no doubt heard and read in numerous reviews of the shows. I can't help admiring his balls (well, not literally).

Ade's whiplash violence is as ridiculously extreme as a Roadrunner cartoon. For me it's a hilarious release of life's pent-up frustrations, and kind of a rebuke for having wished I could do it to the numerous jackasses encountered in an average day. I would contend that doing that sort of thing safely on stage takes a high degree of accuracy and skill. Besides which, he just makes me laugh.

Experiencing it on video, you get the best seat in the house without having to contend with an unruly or annoying audience, and I found the sheer exuberance of Rik and Ade's performances enjoyable.

As an American, I couldn't appreciate quite all the references to British celebrities, etc., but complete idiocy is a universal thing, and it's depicted here with extreme enthusiasm. To me, these guys are the Three Stooges for the '90s, a mantle I don't confer lightly. It may well be that Rik or Ade would advise me to f**k off. Well, so what? I am one of those who hold the opinion that you shouldn't necessarily meet people you admire, as it sometimes spoils your appreciation of them.

I absolutely love bottom and this for me was the most hilarious 90 or so minutes i have ever encountered. I especially like Richie, with his extra long weird laughs and when he says Eddie about 50 times and then asks him a question!

I sincerely hope that they will make more live shows, they still have the amazing talent to go on for a life time! Apsolute 1st class entertainment.

All the live shows and series are brilliant.

Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson really should continue their partnership and produce more of what can only be described as the best comedy show in history!