This endearing Canadian has the personality, delivery, and self-deprecating laugh of a great comedian. Naturally, then, he falls fatally short at the jokes. He begins by saying, “I’m Tom and I don’t know how to start a show,” and the apparent lack of effort behind this line haunts his entire act. Many of his punchlines are whispered throughout the audience before he has a chance to say them. That’s not to say he’s unoriginal: his jokes are clever and cynically ironic, but he is at his best when bantering with the audience. A couple of times, I embarrassingly guffawed. With more consistently intelligent humour, Tom’s likeable stage presence could have us all guffawing… with less of the embarrassment.
Pleasance Courtyard, 3 – 28 Aug (not 15), 9.00pm (9.55pm), £9.00 – £12.00, fpp161.
tw rating 3/5
[mm]
Sections: by Michael Mackenzie - ED2011 Comedy Reviews - tw rating 3/5 | Tags: Comedy Store Management, The Pleasance, Tom Stade
Also from ThreeWeeks...
ED2011 Comedy Review: Shmozle (Workshed Productions / Laughing Horse Free Festival)
How can you be a double act if you’re only one man? Simple. Create a partner by pre-recording your own voice and perform sketches opposite yourself. That’s what Moz does...
ED2011 Comedy Review: Jason Cook – The Search For Happiness (Bound And Gagged Comedy By Arrangement With Gag Reflex Management)
At one point during the show, Jason Cook describes himself as “like Zebedee” – a fairly apt comparison for the bouncy, effusive comedian. ‘The Search For Happiness’ is an energetic...
ED2011 Comedy Review: Diane Spencer – All Pervading Madness (Best Medicine Management)
Beginning with a madcap retelling of an incident involving her mother and a ferret, Diane Spencer’s ‘All Pervading Madness’ certainly lives up to its title. What follows is the quirky...
GET ALERTS OF NEW THREEWEEKS CONTENT: Click here to sign up to the free ThreeWeeks email
