one4review | On 22, Aug 2024

It comes as rather a surprise that under the cool that Tom Ward has been exuding across the comedy circuit, there was a retro Tom waiting to emerge. We should really have realised – he has held fast to not having a smart phone with apps, describing the delight derived by having to ask for directions, even when he actually knows his way.

Plus he has the Oasis look which he reckons puts off flirty females, but is glad to be monogamous and is loving having a tiny baby son. In our show he inadvertently acquires a new dad which created mirth, and so the show really rolls along.

Tom covers a lot of ground, and there is lots of laughter. Unsurprising are many great insights, with roars of recognition and considerable humour, in what is essentially ‘My Life So Far’ with reminiscences covering childhood parties with party bags easing him back into the real world, loving football, being fed too much cake, becoming cute after losing 3 stone, striving at 17 to be cool with the aloofness of stylised versions of masculinity from action films where proper man are alone and looking straight ahead in bars.

Now that he is what was once referred to as ‘a new man’ he is concerned that by the time his boy is properly into football like he was he will be middle-aged, having noticed the men around him at music gigs getting older and older, until by 50 they don’t move around at all, are bald, and leave early to miss the traffic.

Of course there is plenty more to Tom Ward, but you will will have to see the show, with its unique bucket collection speech, for that pleasure. It is delightful show (not needing the 18+ warning; 12+ would be fine), skilfully written and delivered, nicely relaxed and enjoyable, with laughs aplenty.

****1/2
Reviewed by HJ

Just the Bottle Room, Just the Tonic at The Mash House

12:50 (1hr) until 25th