Jarred Christmas: Lets Go, Mofo

Review by Simon Pattullo | 23 Aug 2012

He says goodbye to the audience, nerf gun bullets still stuck onto his face and exposed belly, and we file out of the sweaty room.  How Jarred Christmas keeps up such a physical show is a wonder - particularly in this hot room - and hats off to him for his levels of enthusiasm.

Although at times he is unneccessarily shouty, as a performer he's very likeable, self-effacing and natural, and he does have the drive to make this show work. Although many in the capacity crowd howl at some stories he tells, this show does appear quite aimless and without much by way of originality (nerf gun conclusion excepted). There is a theme of marketing the show somewhere between comedy and dance, and bursts of furiously-busted moves are a fine inclusion but ultimately less amusing than suggested. 

An obviously funny man, his asides and ad-libs go down a storm; and the smile on his face as he recognises this is quite charming. It's a shame, then, that large portions of the material don't quite hit the mark, that the show in its entirety is not the best. But his enthusiasm and eye for a good idea should improve things.  

Jarred Christmas: Let's Go, Mofo, Gilded Balloon Teviot, Until 26 August, 21:30, £10.50/£9 http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/jarred-christmas-let-s-go-mofo