Review by Julia Chamberlain

An absolutely superb, hilarious show, right the way through to the stumps, this is smart, enjoyable and not just for chaps. It probably made me laugh more than anything else I’ve seen so far this Fringe.

Andrew Watts is an imposing figure, even more so in this tiny sweatbox of a room, he’s tall but slightly stooped and folded in on himself, as though trying to occupy less space or not loom over us, and the effect is comically bear-like.

I have the feeling he keeps his voice deliberately light and soft, because if he really let rip he could verbally slaughter a room, there’s a sense of power in reserve. As it is, with a combination of forensically precise argument, grammatical pedantry that had me scrambling for Google when I got home, tickling cricket analogies (I love them) and screamingly funny anecdotes worthy of Henry Root creator William Donaldson, this is a show that should play in every school, college and workplace in the country until everyone gets it.

The marvellous thing about Watts is that he looks like an old Tory buffer, not a buffoon like Boris Johnson, though you might think they knew people in common. But he’s like a secret weapon for feminism because it’s not what you expect from him at first glance.

His ability to explain, reiterate, summarise and simply make you think is enviable, but this is not a pompous lecture, nor is it an undermining, cynical piss-take, which I thought might be on the cards.

Instead, it’s politely passionate, political, beautifully expressed and very funny. The show is in a tiny sauna of a room and will sell out but it’s worth the effort queuing early. Nice to have a chap to crystallise my thoughts for me.

Review date: 17 Aug 2014
Reviewed by: Julia Chamberlain
Reviewed at: Laughing Horse @ The Counting House