one4review | On 18, Aug 2024

I’ve been to a number of John Robertson’s shows over the years, and I’ve always really enjoyed them, though mindful in reviews that even amongst the ‘offbeat’, ‘quirky’ and ‘alternative’ shows, John’s were never going to be mainstream, or for everyone. But he’s built a following, and it’s been fun being part of an ever increasing audience of aficionados.

Despite the fact that the shows were good, it always felt a little bit like a sculpture in progress: there was a well-formed bit of an arm or a foot revealed by every show, but the dazzling brilliance of the final form was never quite clear, still obscured in the stone. Which brings us to this show, in which a (very) loud platinum-blonde man yells insults at individual members of the audience and appropriates them for improv, interspersed with ukulele songs, climbing the walls, poetry, and other nonsense. It’s exactly what we’re here for.

John, like most performers, really wants to be liked, but he also has genuine affection and respect for his audience. It just so happens that his affection is expressed in very specific and tailored insults and so it is a delightful and joyful confluence that the audience are (mostly) here to be insulted.

The show is built from crowd work, taking a mere technique and elevating it to an art. The insults never cross the line into offense, and often the interactions develop into longer and recurring bits of greater hilarity than some scripted shows. John revels in connecting with the audience – he spends as much time off of the stage as on it – and even the on-stage parts have refrains for us to sing along to and be part of the show. The show ended with a poem (which I hope he publishes somewhere) and a standing ovation which he looked genuinely touched and surprised about: an audience reflecting back his affection and respect, and celebrating a brilliant, finally revealed, work of art.

Reveiwed by Laura

Laughing Horse @ The Counting House
20:20 (get there early to join the queue!)
Until 25th