As I arrive at the “Wee Container” venue, Paul eagerly stands outside with a bundle of forms clutched in his hand. He asks me if I would like to fill one out. “What do you remember about Somerfield?” it says, or something to that effect. “Yeah, what actually is Somerfield?” I asked. I fear I may have hurt Paul more than I realised with this casual question. I was not yet aware of his profound love of Somerfield.
Paul’s show is a memorial that honours Somerfield, a British supermarket chain bought out by the Co-op in 2011. I am really exposing my age here as I have no recollection of the supermarket, but if you remember it, and fondly, you are in for a treat.
Paul uses his hour as a chance to take you through the five stages of Somerfield grief: Denial in the Isle, Anger and Weetabix Rage, Bargaining and missing the bargains, Depression and Overdosing on Jelly snakes, Acceptance and remembering the good times with Sue.
Somerfield seems to have had a lot of influence on Paul’s coming of age, that and Dawson’s Creek. Paul appears to be a very observational and eccentric comedian; however, it seems limited to special areas, like supermarkets. As niche as this may seem, he was in good company. I was shocked at the number of audience members who knew the most random facts about Somerfield, like its rivals (Safeway), what film it is featured in (Hot Fuzz), and one audience member even used to work there.
Towards the end, Paul reads out the forms that were filled in by the audience members who knew what Somerfield was (unlike me). The dramatic reading of the forms is hilarious as melancholic music echoes off the walls of the yellow box.
This show is certainly unconventional, but this type of weird comedy fits Paul’s character so well. He is naturally funny, and his ability to find joy and depth in such niche topics puts him totally in his element, his element being Somerfield.
Paul Campbell: The Lost Tapes of Somerfield 13.00, Hoots @ Potterrow, until August 25
https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/paul-campbell-the-lost-tapes-of-somerfield
