Matt Jenner’s one-man sketch show has abundant pathos and a varied cast of characters. But given that it opens abruptly in the immediate aftermath of an armed bank robbery, with the Australian clutching a gunshot wound in his chest, passive-aggressively berating his fellow criminals, this is a slow, ponderous hour that doesn’t hit a high enough gag rate to justify its artier pretensions.
Jenner’s crowd interaction is not especially attuned, a mourning scene taking an age to unfold because of his unwillingness to coax someone along a bit more strenuously. Similarly, a police stop and search scenario is plodding and laborious, relying too hard on the unexpected amiability of the cop to let off wrongdoing, while somehow, despite the judicious use of a prop, failing to capitalise on the whimsical possibilities of inadvertent “drink” driving in the front rows.
To be fair, there’s a well pitched bit of gentle exploitation of one audience member. And there’s potential in his crazy household appliance salesman, who may or may not actually be mentally unwell, plus a sadsack, black sheep uncle turning up to a family Christmas gathering. Jenner inhabits these characters fully. But they don’t feel like he’s extracted anything like maximum humour from them yet.
I Feel Sick, Just the Tonic at The Caves, until 24 Aug, 5pm