At his big age of 32, Ben Pope got the chop. No, he’s not been executed. But he did get circumcised. His snug hardware (or possibly software, depending on the time of day) had been bothering him for years, so it was finally time to do something about it.
So begins a show about loss. But the tale of his overdue snip is just the tip of the uncircumcised iceberg. In a culture so steeped with phallic symbolism and metaphor, penis woes open the door to so much else: ruminations on masculinity, gender and societal pressure. Pope also lost his father this year, which he reveals early on, and which he circles back to with delicacy and heart after a jovial first half. His light touch remains, even when his dad’s Parkinson’s is centre frame, but the show takes on some unexpected weight.
There’s a breathlessness to Pope’s delivery that can sometimes obfuscate the punchline, and whether that’s a shame or part of the charm will likely come down to personal taste. He writes classic jokes, delivered with a wry smile. Add to that bags of charisma, and a sprinkling of physical comedy, and his comeback more than makes the cut.
Ben Pope: The Cut, Assembly George Square Gardens, until 24 Aug (not 13), 5.05pm