Mark Dolan - I'm Here To Help!

Although a bum batch of audience members could stunt the entire affair, I'm Here to Help! is definitely not one to miss

Review by John Herrman | 14 Aug 2007
Mark Dolan’s show is probably just some elaborate stunt for Balls of Steel. As the host of said program, he asks the audience to vote for the ballsiest contestant from a pool of penis-electrocutors, public fornicators and threateningly indignant large-breasted women. Dolan’s affable and easygoing stage persona belies his current audacity in taking the stage without any prepared material, just as the simple concept of the show belies its enormous potential.

At the start, Dolan asks for the audience to submit their serious problems for his consideration. Over the next hour, he methodically deals with each one, never shying away from a question or clumsily discarding it with an outrageous suggestion. Instead, he digs for a bit, often bringing the people to the stage. No matter if a problem is dry or mundane, as Dolan can invariably find humour in the situation and rarely stalls.
What makes the show work so well is the air of tension. Dolan keeps everyone nervous with the threat audience participation, but this never comes off as excessively cruel.

What keeps the whole affair from being embarrassing is just how funny it is. Dolan is a master of improvisation and audience interaction, and it’s refreshing to be a part of a completely unique show. There is a certain cadence to the delivery and flow that differentiates it from typical rehearsed Festival fare, and although a bum batch of audience members could stunt the entire affair, I’m Here to Help! is definitely not one to miss.