one4review | On 06, Aug 2013

Every time I see Glenn Wool I grow to appreciate his skill as a stand-up more and more.  From the very beginning of his set he has the audience under his spell, no easy feat when you consider that a 21.50 timeslot means that you’re beginning to see some audience members who may be a little worse for wear.  Not a problem for Wool, he can outgun and outshout any feckless heckler.  His delivery matches his persona, loud and brash yet tempered with an underlying softness and thoughtfulness.

The opening 20 minutes of This Road Has Tolls saw Wool storm through a succession of targets: his own lack of success in LA, our royal baby obsession, Operation Yewtree, the horse meat scandal and Margaret Thatcher.  There was no question that the audience were appreciative as there was solid laughter for every single one of those 20 minutes.  And the wordplay!  I loved the wordplay.  Yes, some of it was teetering on the brink of being corny, but Wool recognised this and the resulting dissection of his punchlines was probably as enjoyable as the groan-worthy punnery that had taken us there.

Once he settles into his act Wool almost challenges his audience to find fault with him, dancing around in the grey areas of what he can say and what our morality will allow us to laugh at.  And he gets away with it most of the time  On top of this he is the master of material that seems frivolous but has an underlying seriousness.  A  section where he talks about his grandfather who suffers from dementia is, underneath all the bluster, particularly poignant.

LA my have not recognised nor rewarded Wool’s talent as yet, but their loss is Edinburgh’s gain.  In my opinion this is one comedian who just keeps getting better and better.

Reviewed by Di

Assembly George Square One

21.50 – 22.50