Gig review by Steve Bennett at the Soho Theatre, London

If only a bad stand-up laughs at their own jokes, Ron Funches must be the worst comedian in the world, with every line greeted by a delighted giggle, a laugh somewhere between Ricky Gervais and a stereotypical Japanese schoolgirl.

The old adage isn’t true, of course, and this seemingly unselfconscious chuckle is an integral part of a distinctive and relaxed persona. He speaks softy, almost shyly, while seeking to convey a joyful, uncynical view of life. 

It gives him an almost child-like presence, especially when he gets excited about his subjects. Although there are hints – and nothing more – that this might not be the whole truth. For example, after talking about his son for a while, he reveals that that the teenager is autistic – but only as a tangent, in explaining how his lifestyle could be a lot for a potential partner to take on; the struggles of a lonely single parent only hinted at.

Throughout, there’s a feeling that he doesn’t want to march to the beat of anyone’s drum, whether that’s defying the critics to profess himself a proud fan of pro Wrestling (and uniquely concluding that The Rock is the male Beyonce) or simply denying the traditional rhythms of dynamic stand-up. He’s in no rush to get to a punchline, and seems to be here primarily to amuse himself: the fact he can make enough of the audience laugh for this to be a viable career, a happy side-effect that’s just one of the many things that cause him delight. 

Such a languid approach always has an impact on the laugh rate, and Funches requires patience as he talks around a story before getting to its nub, although he’s likeable company on that meander. And given the very laid-back style, it comes as no surprise to learn that he’s something of a stoner. Rather too many of his stories involve the subject in fact. 

Although the vibe is generally relaxed, Funches does seem overly fretful on his British debut, obsessing to a distracting degree about his references and whether we’ll get them. He congratulates himself when he remembers to say ‘rubbish’ not ‘trash’ – as if he would surely confound the audience if he hadn’t – or converts his weight loss into stones (eight of them, an impressive feat)

There are a couple or more strong routines in this hour – talk of persuading robots you’re not a robot with the online Captcha forms a special gem – but the balance of charm to content is probably loaded in favour of the former.

Regardless of any particular content, however, Funches has got the most important parts of stand-up dead right: an idiosyncratic voice and appealing attitude, unashamedly cuddly in a world of cynicism without being too soft.

• Ron Funches is on at the Soho Theatre from Monday until Saturday. 

Review date: 12 Jun 2016
Reviewed by: Steve Bennett