Collywobbles

Originally published in ThreeWeeks.

Early in his show, Stan Stanley greeted some latecomers with the line: "We're having an awkward moment". Unfortunately that was too true. Stanley's Fringe solo debut, a self-deprecating stand-up routine about embarrassment and awkwardness, had solid moments rather than a solid whole. You get the sense that Stanley is charming and funny in the pub, but not yet comfortable on stage. He began counting down to the end of the show before I did, and seemed almost embarrassed by some of his own punchlines. Some were funny, yet even then we, the audience, didn't feel moved to laugh all that much. With more practice, this show might improve dramatically. As it is, I left with my face aching, but mostly from smiling encouragingly.

Collywobbles is playing at the Underbelly, 2-26 August at 2:20pm.