Trevor Browne: Fringe 2012
Live Review
Gilded Balloon Teviot

It’s never going to be easy when the small number of props on stage outnumbers your audience – but although Trevor Browne made several references to the already uncomfortable situation, he otherwise ploughed on regardless. Hell, he even insisted on the call-and-response song that absolutely none of the six of us wanted to participate in.

His well-defined persona is of a hugely influential folk-rock singer making his comeback after several years as a recluse, during which he tried to figure out the meaning of life. This is all explained in a too-long opening video showing just what a legend he was: playing to screaming fans at Shea Stadium, being acknowledged as a genius by the likes of the Beatles etc, etc.

In the real word, he’s a useful singer-songwriter and rounded, soft-talking character – but definitely in need of an injection of funny. His lyrics tend to be of the whimsically amusing variety, raising wry smiles over hearty chuckles, while the banter is full of one-liners that unfortunately vary from the familiar to the not-that good. A typical gag is that the song Who’s That Lady?  was written by an Alzheimer’s sufferer. The kind of so-so humour that permeates the show.

In his guise as serious muso with ego issues, he says he doesn’t want to be lumped in with musical comedians such as Flight Of The Conchords… which might be easy to do had he not included a song with inappropriate street-talking lyrics about ‘gettin freaky’ with a girl that ill-match the folksy melody, which could have come straight off the Conchords’ cutting-room floor.

He mixes things up a little with a spoof poem that channels the spirit of William McGonagall (‘Oh rain, how wet is thee’) or reading unintentionally hilarious extracts from a genuine book about angel intervention. This is probably the funniest bit, though it has nothing to do with the music of the rest of the show.

His tunes are catchy and melodious – especially the hypnotic show-stopper concerning a ‘midget and a ho’ – and unlike some musical comics we could mention, you wouldn’t be ashamed to have these on your iTunes playlist. But listenable tracks and great comedy are separate beasts, and frequently it’s hard to see even where the lyrical punchlines are supposed to be.