Show Rating:

There was a bunch of dewy adolescents who’d come to see this show for a second time when I was in the audience, obviously terribly excited by the manic energy and abundant references to wanking,

With such a title, you know this isn’t going to be all bunnies and kittens. Richard Coughlan is a very wired performer, with a staccato voice and twitchy movements, which may be attributable to his Tourette’s Syndrome. It must be as exhausting for him to perform as it is to watch.

Declaring his misogyny for the sake of one joke, his intent is to kick a hole through political correctness (or corrections, as he keeps saying),, but it is with the tiresome persistence of a class smart alec that he flogs his topics to death.

Politcal correctness, patriotism, racism, media manipulated images, religion, gay stereotyping all get a cursory examination and, in some instances, a smart observation. Masturbation receives a more extended play.

I bet he was a riot inthe sixth form common room, but to call it a show is a bit of a nerve. He admitted to faking a quote from Simon Amstell for last year’s poster - ‘puerile and brilliant’. That would still be half true for this year’s outing.

There may well be a smarter comic hidden under the torrents of words and windmilling arms, as there are flashes of intelligence. But these are quickly obliterated by persistent unfunny vulgarity. For spotty youths only.

Reviewed by: Julian Chambers