Mark Watson’s presence was absorbing; his material creating a flow of observational comedy which built laugh upon laugh and meant the show flew by.
Flaws focused on his experiences of the modern world as a 30-something middle aged man; a tale which ran the danger of being all too familiar if it wasn't for the presence of a pivotal mental breakdown at a Thomas the Tank Engine film premiere.
Watson situated himself slightly outside of the traditional realm of stand-up comedy with a few disapproving remarks about modern TV panel shows which allowed him the freedom to break away from a standard masculine approach to comedy.
There was also an androgyny about his jokes – embracing parenthood, choosing wine as a vice over whisky - which enabled him to stand outside the judgement of strict gender roles and deliver thoughtful observations on our collective experiences of mental health.
As stand-up comedy positions itself more and more in the centre of our cultural experiences, it is important that these difficult subject matters are tackled with confidence, power and, of course, laughs.
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