Andrew Watts: I Wish I Could Be Like Andrew Watts - Fringe 2009
Live Review

Comedians normally base their shows on what they are passionate about.  Andrew Watts seems to have only followed this norm for a precious few short minutes this year.

Loosely based on the lyrics of Kinks song‘I Wish I Could Be Like David Watts, for no apparent reason other than the shared surname, Watts tenuously leads his audience through an unconvincing discussion about how to impress women and interpret their behavior. 

Using graphs and very shaky, misogynistic reasoning he informs us that women can be placated by  using a few simple phrases regarding shoes and handbags.  He takes us through a stream of his unsuccessful relationships which begs the question why he thinks he is qualified to offer advice on how to woo women.

There is an overlong and underwhelming section on how many kisses are appropriate at the end of an email with more graphs appearing to demonstrate the difference in attitude between English women and Croatian women.  Some very bad accents and borderline sexist rants later we do eventually arrive at a reasonable line about what put Croatia on the map, but it feels too little, too late as interest in this tale has long since vanished.

The annoying thing is that Watts has a section in his show which is so ripe for an hour’s worth of attention and he barely touches on it, apologising when he does. As an ex-monk, he unleashes a tirade of ire upon the atheist movement in comedy and popular culture lambasting Richard Dawkins as a bad scientist and claiming that the increase in anti-religious comedy is a smug trend. 

Whether or not you agree with this view, it is undoubtedly an interesting counterpoint to the current climate.  He presents his case in an impassioned and considered manner and raises a few laughs from a previously uncomfortable audience.

Hopefully Watts will draw more from his enthusiastic beliefs in future, but while we see only a flash of this emotional writing among a screed of dubious and humourless anecdotes, he will be left to wander in the comedy wilderness.