What is the nearest sensation to being a bird that a human can feel … without surgery?
Simon Munnery’s answer to this was part of what he described as a tedious conversation, which nevertheless had the audience spluttering with laughter thanks to its repetition and banality.
Munnery had devised multiple ways he could begin the show, so – referring back to his notebook for guidance - he performed all of them in quick succession.
Never content with a simple set-up and punchline format, his elaborate references and callbacks elicited slow ripples of chuckling as different audience members got the joke.
Losing the use of his left hand following an ice-skating accident, Munnery wryly demonstrated, made a mockery of his Nazi saluting.
His revised, minimalist can-can dance was the most hilarious sequence of the night, as he attempted to don the elaborate homemade contraption combining a leg-kick with a flash of underwear.
The self-conscious, amateur slapstick, confusion around the upside-down strappy harness and long lead-in to an extremely quick payoff were terrific.
Whether angrily riffing on the right-wing political phrase “decent, hard-working people”, or linking unconnected concepts under the squawked headline Phrases That Irk Me Somewhat, this unpredictable show contained a lot to enjoy.
Four stars
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article