Pub landlord Al Murray visits Victoria Hall in Hanley

Nov 25 2009 by Will Harris, Crewe Chronicle

AL MURRAY knows Britain’s deepening economic crisis is no joke – but the comic still hopes to wring some humour out of the financial meltdown when he visits Hanley’s Victoria Hall this week.

Most famed for his TV show Al Murray’s Happy Hour in which he plays an pontificating pub landlord, he is taking that character centre stage on his Beautiful British Tour which stops off at The Potteries on Friday.

Murray was once a humble publican himself before discovering a career in comedy, and he has since won a multitude of awards.

The character first appeared in 1994 when he was the tour support act for Harry Hill.

In 2003, he was listed in The Observer as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy and in 2007 he was voted number 16 in Channel 4's Hundred Greatest Stand-ups.

Earlier this year he launched a new show on the back of the success of Happy Hour, Al Murray’s Multiple Personality Disorder, in which he plays a variety of characters including a camp, gay Nazi officer and a Victorian gentleman thief.

The show starts at 8pm, tickets are £25, phone the box office on 0844 871 7649 or visit www.ambassadortickets.com.