Review by Barrie Morgan

After a couple of years pretending to be different characters, silly and surreal Joz Norris returns to the Fringe as himself for a change. It's an understandable natural progression and one he fully embraces as he lowers the mask .

On entering the room you may be offered a fried egg by an asexual man in an audacious jacket, cheeky grin and spiky hair, but the depths of the show are far more thoughtful and intelligent than this first impression.

The main thrust of the show concerns love and intimacy. It's weighty stuff for a young comic, yet Norris instills stories of his frankly catastrophic dating history with his offbeat, weirdly endearing comedy idiosyncrasies. One moment he may be talking about affectionately reenacting a love scene from a favourite movie, the next he might be pissing Skittles. It's mental but works brilliantly due to the juxtaposition between the surreal and real.

There are moments of extreme poignancy weaved in with some dreamlike incantations. There’s a fine line between the two, which leaves the audience wondering where they'll be taken next. It's unpredictable, exciting and charming.

Norris reveals himself as a guy who's a little lost in love but who is trying his best to hold on to his morals – an open-hearted, genial guy even if a little awkward.

He is a born entertainer, but also a great comedy writer. The structure is accomplished and the denouement is suitably poignant as it embodies his show’s integrity beautifully. There are moments that don't quite hit the mark but the sincerity of the show mean these are easily forgiven. Norris is clearly a young comic going places, even if his love life isn't.

Review date: 12 Aug 2014
Reviewed by: Barrie Morgan
Reviewed at: Underbelly Bristo Square