Adam Vincent
Humans Anonymous
Rhino Room
Until Sat 15 March


Genuinely lacking any real confidence, social graces or mealtime etiquette, Melbourne's Adam Vincent may have won the lottery when it comes to love but can that be enough for him to overcome his lifelong list of failings?

Vincent starts off his show by awkwardly greeting his audience with small talk and offering them biscuits as they take to their seats. This was neither part of his act or an act per se, or at least that's the way it seemed as well past the start time Vincent's still struggling to find his place on stage. The audience accept this and while the laughs have well and truly began Vincent dolefully rolls with this situation by bumbling along with random self deprecatory thoughts which he speaks out loud without any ideas of where they may lead.

As for his prepared material, because of his own lack of self belief he appears to be constantly out there on a limb; an all too ironic precipice it turns out to be, as he still manages to unwittingly edge himself closer towards comedy suicide by mostly relying on each story's natural course rather than attempting to try and control matters.

Riding the ebb and flow of each performance can be dangerous, for both artist and audience, and that's what makes Vincent so shakily engaging because no matter where he may steer himself he always seems to produce a laugh and that of course is what we're all there for. I'm not going to kid anyone by saying that this is champagne comedy, but sure as apples while strawberries may be a luxury food item this show certainly delivers a lot of crunch.

Steve Jones