one4review | On 21, Aug 2023

Jazz Emu has built a big following for his “virtuoso musical spectacular” shows on the Fringe, which blitz the audience continually with a plethora of multidimentional AV and graphic action, comedic interludes, accessible jazz, immaculately choreographed quasi-robotic moves, a smoke machine and an armchair.

In summary You Shouldn’t Have delivers the mesmeric feel of experimental happenings of the 60’s, technologically enhanced and speeded up to 78rpm, with the man himself looking very much the part. It stimulates your senses and tweaks your intellect.

Jazz Emu cannot be easily categorised, but one thing it isn’t is nostalgic and easy. His references are so diverse that they keep us moving on, from goblins, via Miami and Sheringham, onto the Cern Hadron Collider. We even willingly take part in 2-part communal singing.

He has an array of musical influences which appear to include Tim Minchin and Flight of the Conchords which both used the Fringe as a stepping stone onto much greater things. But Jazz Emu is nevertheless uniquely different, and indeed is the complete package.

A high energy , totally engrossing five-star show that is both obtuse and engrossing, and fun but never mundane.

*****

Reviewed by HJ on 18 August 2023

Pleasance Courtyard 2
21:40
17-27 August