4 Stars
****

Thus Spoke Kev is a show about Nietzsche, a German philosopher whose name is best copy & pasted, and whose best known work is “God is Dead.” Sounds a right giggle, right?! Well, it was a very funny show. Not non-stop guffaws – oh no – far more pathos than that – but there was plenty to laugh about.

Rather than just a philosophy lecture, Kev’s show also involves sharing intimate parts of his past in a way that’s neither showing off, nor too confessional. It’s raw honesty, and it’s refreshing. Whether his professions make you shocked or jealous, you can’t fault that Kev isn’t telling tales of his sexual past to brag. When they’re there, they’re part of the story. And most vitally, funny.

Infidelity, a broken family, mental health issues… again, doesn’t sound like a bundle of laughs, so let me reassure you – there’s humour to be found in all of those, and Shepherd does so very successfully, also always returning to his theme of Nietzsche’s life and teachings. So is Nietzsche, as Shepherd suggests, a comedian stuck in a philosopher’s body? I’m not sure. But I am sure that Kev is a comedian who can make you philosophical – between the giggles.

Reviewed by Gill Smith

Laughing Horse @ Captain Taylor’s Coffee House

To 26th August

21:15 to 22:15