Tom Adams

From Dropped As A Child

Original Review:

This melancholic singer-songwriter perches on his barstool, softly lisping low-key songs that mostly involve the series of embarrassments that comprise his life. Clinging to a slither of optimism despite the setbacks, Adams producers a warmly witty 45 minutes of tender musings, with sly rhymes and a generous dash of observational whimsy.

A far cry from the sort of guitar-playing comics who wield their axe to generate a raucous atmosphere, the endearingly shy Adams uses song as a way to tell confessional tales; whether it be of his shame in falling ill on a train, his angst that he might appear gay, or the ordeal of speed-dating – during which he recruits an audience member to provide percussion accompaniment, deftly getting us all on side.

One or two songs look outwards rather than inwards, such as the one that wonders where Superman will get changed now phone boxes are becoming increasingly rarer. This might seem a flimsy premise for a piece of stand-up, but coax the story along with a droll lyrics and a tune that neatly encompasses the Superman theme, and it becomes more than the sum of its parts.

Not every line of every song is hilarious, but the musicality keeps you entertained, and he creates such a snug, inclusive atmosphere that by the end we’re all swaying and singing along to the choruses, albeit quietly.

Adams has yet to register on the comedy radar, but on the strength of this show, we can certainly expect his endearingly modest presence to be felt on the lo-fi, alternative end of the comedy spectrum at the very least.

Reviewed by: Steve Bennett
Leicester Comedy Festival, February 2009