one4review | On 18, Aug 2014

There is no doubt that Stuart Black is a compelling storyteller and a considerate performer, moving some chairs in his small venue to allow the audience to get a business class experience as he relates his story and a life full of personal crossroads.

He leads us through his stranger places he has lived a van, an attic a disused mental hospital are a few, his flirtation with drugs, booze and his conforming to having a real job.

There is no doubting Black has the ability with words, he can paint pictures that are almost tangible but there are not too many laughs along the way, plenty of silent smiles for sure but it was a pretty quiet room throughout the gig and the sound bleed from the adjacent bar didn’t help the atmosphere he was creating. Probably the highlight was the story of travelling in South Africa, with a few laughs integrated into the tale

His crossroads moments are complemented by the time travelling crazy scientist he introduces periodically. His speeches from this ’character’ are well written and delivered.

Black admits he is not for everyone which is a fair assessment, but he is different and that is worth quite a bit.

Reviewed by Geoff

The Counting House

22.00 to 22.50

***