Advantages: Great observational comedy performer.
Disadvantages: None

...Bill Bailey is the caveman look-alike best known for his TV comedy on quiz show Never Mind The Buzzcocks and sit-com Black Books. But the man, who claims to be “Part Troll” and bears an uncanny resemblance to the mutant love child of Peter Stringfellow and a lizard, is more than panel-fodder. With this show of innovation, musicianship and wry observations on British and Amercian-ness the long-haired one has proved he is also a comedy genius. He incorporates experiences like being in New York after 9/11, (yes there is a cinema show in the Empire State Building where you pretend to be in a plane just missing the Twin Towers), a tour of Hindu sites in Indonesia and George Bush’s speeches, into a finely woven cloth of humour and music, for two hours of glee. We hear about the eco-friendly branch of the Klu Klux Klan (keep Iceland... Read review

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Advantages: Intelligent and zany hilarity
Disadvantages: none

...After seeing one of Bill Bailey's short stand up sets on the 2005 Comic Aid DVD I decided that further investigations should be made into the strange and exciting world of his sense of humour. Part Troll is the second and latest of Bill's collection of Live DVD's, recorded at Hammersmith Apollo in front of a sell-out crowd. The whole show is an intensely funny concept performance and is performed in a fresh and enjoyable style. Like many comedians there are no jokes, as such, in the show but rather an intelligent and amusing look at the world around. The mix is perfect, there is always a degree of insanity present among the smart, well balanced and informative layout of the funny stories and experiences interspersed with amusing songs and musical pieces. The show has something to suit everyone as it remains serious, random... Read review

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Advantages: All of it
Disadvantages: Pricey merchandise, pricey theatre food, the fact that it went so fast!

...I’ve been a kind of half-arsed fan of Bill’s for a while, about two years I’d say, and I know him mainly through the comedic genius that is the Channel 4 series Black Books, whereby he plays Manny, the downtrodden assistant to grumpy Irish Bernard (Dylan Moran). Although I had some vague idea that he was also a stand-up, I hadn’t really heard much about his material apart from that it was pretty good, and so when I saw that his resurrection of the highly successful ‘Part Troll’ tour coincided with my brother’s birthday, I decided to buy us both tickets to the last show in the run – 4th December 2004. We turned up to the Apollo Theatre in Shaftesbury Avenue about 20mins before the show began, and, being a West End virgin, I was transfixed by the atmosphere of everything and above all the theatre itself, which was simply beautiful... Read review

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Advantages: Bad acting, Ridiculous story, Awful dialogue
Disadvantages: They didn't make more

...Troll 2 (1990) When a director goes by six different professional aliases you know something's up. Troll 2 has the honour of being 3rd from bottom of the 100 worst films on the IMDB (internet movie database) with a score of 1.9 out of 10 and 2,715 votes. So, why have 2,715 people seen this awful film, and why have I just given it four stars. For the purpose of this review my star rating is based solely on entertainment, as Troll 2 is just so unbelievably funny from start to finish. One of the director's names is Claudio Fragasso. He also wrote Terminator 2 in the same year. Yes, I know T2 was made in 1991 by James Cameron. Claudio just happened to do a film called Terminator 2 in 1990. This is the mentality we're dealing with, and it only gets funnier. Claudio also wrote Troll 2, which seems to have absolutely nothing to do... Read review

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Advantages: Command and Conquer with Goblins
Disadvantages: Gets VERY difficult the more you progress!

...areas on the planet believe that our tribe have killed the master and thus turn against us. So we set off on our quest to find out who killed the master while at the same time , winning over the trust of the now hostile tribes. I shall say no more otherwise I will spoil the end. Graphics The graphics arent anything overly special but they are smooth and dont lag. There are plenty of environments and different types of goblins, armoured goblins and trolls etc... which look good close up. One thing I did like about this game was the camera, it allows you to zoom in and out and rotate it. Sound The atmospheric music is good and changes for different scenarios, whilst the goblins talk in their own language with subtitles, which sounds authentic enough. The battle sounds could have been done better though. Gameplay... Read review

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Advantages: Another Discworld Book (no spoilers)
Disadvantages: Not enough shelf space

...Discworld floats through space on the shoulders of four great elephants which stand on the back of a giant turtle but im sure you all knew that. For those that don't this is just part of the craziness of the Discword series. I have been a little disapointed with Terry Pratchett of late but Thud is almost like Pratchett of old. With another return to one of Terry's much loved characters the Guards. Thud sees the formidable Duke Vimes in turmoil. Years ago in Koom Valley Trolls and Dwarves came to blows. Some say it was the Dwarves some say it was the Trolls who started it. However, it's all happening again but this time its on Ank-Morpork soil. Brief outline for non readers : Discworld is full of, Dwarves, Trolls, Witches, Wizards, Vamipres, Gargoyles, Humans, Igors and a Nobby. Most of which seem to congregate around Ank... Read review

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Advantages: thought provoking, funny and entertaining
Disadvantages: no sorry can't think of any!

...-constable Detritus ( a troll), Lance-constable Cuddy ( a dwarf) and Lance-constable Angua ( a woman... actually it soon becomes evident that Angua hasn't been recruited because she is a woman but because she represents the undead of the city). Now to say that dwarves and trolls don't get on is a bit like saying the Pope is a bit on the religious side and so the scene is set for an exploration of race hatred and what it means to be an individual. And when the chips are down these recruits find out who their friends really are!! As with all Terry Pratchett's books this book can be read on many levels. It is a brilliant whodunnit as well as an exploration of human (or dwarf or troll) nature but most of all it is very, very funny. I would recommend this book to anybody who likes a good read and who likes a good laugh.... Read review

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Advantages: Very funny
Disadvantages: Couldn't breathe I was laughing so much

...You may recognise the most famous person to have come out of the West Country since The Wurzels in such programmes as Spaced, Never Mind the Buzzcocks and Black Books. But he's also rather handy at the old Stand-up and earlier this year toured the country with his Part Troll extravaganza. I went to see the Part Troll tour earlier on in the year and the showing of said tour on Channel 4 over the weekend inspired me to post my opinion on it. "He looks like a medieval roadie" So Mr Bailey was playing at the Hippodrome in Birmingham, which is really nice now it's all been refurbished, the seats are *so* much more comfortable. We were up in the 'nosebleed' seats high above the stage but with a good view (as long as he didn't perform the entire gig right at the front of the stage). The set was nice and simple, three long backdrops... Read review

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Advantages: Very entertaining
Disadvantages: None

...What can I say to do this DVD justice? I had no preconceived ideas when I watched Bill Bailey – Part Troll. I didn’t really know what Bill Bailey did having seen him only on Buzzcocks and then in Black Books. OK, so he’s funny, but I never knew he was a stand-up comedian! Just what have I been missing?!!! He’s the ‘thinking man’s’ comedian, a hugely refreshing change from the usual breed who get laughs through bad language and toilet humour. Not that I haven’t laughed at a good deal of that in my time, don’t get me wrong, but this is different! He’s a ‘medieval roadie’ with ‘hair like a shower curtain,’ a ‘wizard in a call centre’ or a ‘bug-eyed troll.’ Take your pick. It’s not a good look for international travel! He has a clever knack of making the most ordinary situations hilarious with little effort – just... Read review

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Advantages: Hilarious
Disadvantages: Similar themes to both DVDs

...I bought this DVD after seeing his performances on the BBC and on YouTube, and it did not disappoint. Both "Part Troll" and "Cosmic Jam" have what distinguishes Bill Bailey from many other comedians - live musical performances - which add tremendously to the different comedic aspects of the show. It definitely helps that Bill Bailey is a trained, professional musician and this really comes through with his unbelievably imaginative and skilled playing. In fact, music provides the backbone of the both shows, and is certainly an amusing, soft relief from the continuous talk not seen in this performance. For those unfamiliar with Bill Bailey I think the most useful way to describe his style is more of an entertainer using the medium of music than a straight, stand-up comedian. As mentioned in the disadvantages above, the only... Read review

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