| Show Rating: |  |
After a bumpy start, in which we aren't given enough time
to read the flash cards introducing the show, performance poet
Paul Lyalls settles into a routine of one-liners and longer stories.
The problem is the stories tend to drag on with few laughs
within them, before finally reaching a punchline. The pay-off
is always funny, often very witty and clever, but never justify
the overly long set-ups Lyalls seems so fond of. Maybe this
explains Lyalls' penchant for humorous poetry, where the gag
is secondary to rhyme and rhythm.
Lyalls is affable and has a wonderfully strong and eloquent
voice, which adds a great sense of majesty and faux-seriousness
to his performance - but the material is just very pedestrian.
It's an enjoyable enough show but tends to just wither around
with no purpose or laughs. If you're a fan of performance poetry
you might get a little more out of it, but if you're looking
for big laughs it's best avoided.
Dean Love
