Review by Julian Hall

It's a shame to have to shoot the puppy that is Addy Van Der Borgh's enthusiasm and geniality, but I feel that it has to be done. While by no means an unpleasant hour Advanced Mumbo Jumbo is pretty basic in both it's premise (words don't always equate to truths) and it's delivery.

For me Van Der Borgh is very much a comic actor rather than a comedian, with routines that are often very much about exaggerating a performance than stressing a point.

An example of this is his straightforward riff on the note that a gas man ‘endeavoured’ to come and read his meter. From this he goes off into a Shakespearian direction, then as if he were a sports commentator and reading the meter was a sporting event.

If you are someone for who whom an expressive face, a silly accent and some nifty harmonica playing is enough to keep you happy, you won't be disappointed. But if you seek insight and wordplay, you'll be frustrated.

I am pretty sure that Van Der Borgh has funny bones but there is much more scope for him to put meat on these bones and flex some comedy muscles.

Review date: 7 Aug 2010
Reviewed by: Julian Hall