Brighton Fringe review by Steve Bennett

Charles Booth’s characters have a depth and a credibility not often found in comedy, while his script is nuanced and witty. Yet there’s one rather crucial element missing from the otherwise classy show… and that’s laughs.

His approach is far more actorly than stand-up. These are not so much sketches as personality studies, performed behind the fourth wall; three-dimensional monologues that could almost certainly be used as impressive audition pieces.

His creations are often undergoing some sort of drama; whether it’s a drunk Jesus addressing his disciples at the Last Supper or a hyper-allergic ‘boy in the bubble’ making the fatal decision to eat peanuts, just so he can experience the joy of tasting something. 

But the undertow isn’t always so poignant. The A-list actor may be denying his sexuality, but he does so in a story that’s laden with double entendre and homoerotic passion. Yet Booth delivers with gravitas, not acknowledging the innuendo – a decision that makes the creation more believable, but stifles the laughs down to knowing smirks from the audience.

He certainly can do camp, as demonstrated by the Spanish Candy Crush obsessive, while his arch, passive-aggressive Scotsman could make a prissily evil Bond villain, as well as showcasing another accent in Booth’s arsenal. 

Yet time and again the comedy seems to be throttled back, lest anything corrupt the richness of the full-bodied characters. We can wallow in their satisfying aura, but laughter would seem almost crass. Only the Dr Who fan fiction written by an 11-year-old girl – inspired by, but not understanding, 50 Shades Of Grey – is close to a conventional comedy sketch designed to hit punchlines.

That’s not to underestimate his writing elsewhere, which boasts deft and piquant turns of phrase as well as fleshing out their creations.

Booth is clearly showcasing a lot of talent here, and casting directors might want to sit up and take note. But the show’s funnies are so calm that it’s far closer to a wryly amusing theatre piece than the laugh-out-louds of most live comedy.

Review date: 9 May 2016
Reviewed by: Steve Bennett