one4review | On 17, Aug 2023

Josh Weller delivers an excellent hour of comedy about music, also involving musical comedy. He started life aiming for a successful music career, but it didn’t work out. A decade and a half later, Josh is able to find quite a lot of comedy in the situation, laughing at himself and finding catharsis.

This is a really nicely structured show, with a recurring narrative device which expands with each reappearance and a leitmotiv of musical pastiches punctuating the chapters. Mr Weller himself has great stage presence and disquietingly extensive pop-trivia knowledge. There’s audience interaction in this show, rather than participation, but mainly the attention’s all on Josh. Which is great; the show’s well paced and highly entertaining, albeit the last song perhaps appropriately demonstrates why he didn’t quite make it in pop music. But their loss is comedy’s gain, and this is a great show.

Reviewed by Laura

Pleasance Courtyard
19:10 (1hr)
Until 27th