one4review | On 13, Aug 2014

Not straight stand-up, eccentric stand-up with props and hand gestures and sound effects and immense hair telling stories about ‘evil’ people from history (mostly, not that evil, just interesting). Mr Robertson does not require a microphone such is the power of his vocal projection, though he did use it for various effects; but he wasn’t just loud, there was good variation in dynamics too.
Mr Robertson finishes his stories: not necessarily immediately after he starts them (that’s not a problem, and actually gives a really nice structure to the show, rounding things out and pleasingly returning to where it all started), but you definitely get the end (nothing worse than an unfinished anecdote, or a reference to there being two of something but only one mentioned).
John is clearly delighted by the silly and the absurd and with winding up the audience a little (exhibit a: ‘azwang’), and his grin because he knows exactly what he’s up to (yes, exactly like a small devious child) just makes it all a little worse (/better. Whichever you prefer).

Reviewed by Laura

Stand IV, 15:30