Review by Tom Hughes

A lovely touch at the very beginning of Bennett Arron’s debut full-length show - which we won't reveal as it may spoil the gag - is only a hint of the comedic invention and excellence that follows in this fascinating and personal story.

When initially planning his show, the wildly talented Arron had chosen to write about himself and his half-Welsh, half-Jewish background, which would surely have  worked thanks to Arron’s sheer writing talent. 

However, we should really thank the advertising company who unlocked a memory and led him to write the show he eventually did.  For several years ago, Arron was a victim of identity theft, which almost led him to complete ruin.

This is the story of that period, with the potential tragedy adding a depth to the laughter, which is relentless due to Arron’s talent for slyly inserting joke set-ups into his main narrative where you simply do not see them establishing a later punchline.

So what follows is a fascinating and often funny cautionary tale that highlights just how easily anyone could become a victim of identity fraud.  As he moves from discovering the scam to tracing it back and discovering the culprit, you are thoroughly engrossed, desperately wanting to know the outcome.

Arron points the finger of blame at the far too relaxed companies who allowed it all to happen, and often to the police for their incompetence, but he also appears genuinely concerned with protecting others from experiencing the same misery.

Sometimes the events – and the responses from companies in the aftermath – are truly unbelievable, meaning that sometimes a joke wouldn’t be as bleakly funny as the situation will speak for itself.

One slight criticism is   that, considering this was such a traumatic event that did temporarily destroy Arron’s life, the real emotion of the story is not conveyed effectively enough.

This could be a conscious decision – considering that it is, after all, a comedy show – but if we were to be allowed a tiny bit more into Arron’s reactions, the story would hold a lot more resonance and would move from being very good to nearly flawless. 

Overall, though, this is something that – considering the amount of advice Arron throws into the mix – few can afford to miss.

Review date: 7 Mar 2010
Reviewed by: Tom Hughes