one4review | On 09, Aug 2023

Matt Price achieves exactly what he sets out to in this lovely hour: tell us a story about something that’s happened to him, and make us care about it. After some housekeeping and sorting out the seating arrangements, explaining the nature of the show and making sure we’re all on board, that’s exactly what he does.

Mr Price is a storyteller, in the best and most fundamental sense of that word: he tells stories. But not like a traditional stand-up telling a funny anecdote – rather Mr Price tells stories like a man who knows the difference between story and plot, and how to use them, who can make a single narrative last the whole hour, and who understands the value and nature of the story as an art form.

There are lots of little bits and pieces interwoven within this show, held together by the framing narrative of Janet the life coach. Matt is both a very professional and extremely hardworking performer, doing his utmost to engage with the audience (of whom a small number were decidedly spikey). He seems like he has a generous soul, walking gently through the world, but his comedy – and it is that, for all the lyricism – has more filth and dark than you might expect (though it’s never gratuitous, and is always worth it). A show of understated lyricism.

 

Reviewed by Laura

Just the Tonic at the Caves
18:20 (1hr)
Until 27th (not 14th)