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A captivating and hilarious journey into the brilliant and unique mind of Huge DaviesSummary
Rating
Unmissable!
It’s not often I’m uncomfortable while reviewing a show but I have to say holding my customary a5 notebook in the back row of a comedy performance did feel slightly wrong. Comedy is (even more so than theatre) a conversation. A unique, truthful and intimate moment between performer and audience member, and bringing a critical eye to that does feel slightly reductive.
I feel obliged to give this caveat because I’m aware of the objectivity of ‘sense of humour,’ and of the usual hatred of the whole idea of reviewing from the comedy community, however, Huge Davis’ writing is as much a fully-fledged piece of storytelling as it is a touring comedy hour, and a dazzling one at that.
In Whodunnit Davies gorgeously marries unreal and otherworldly situations with astute, precise observations on human behaviour to create the bits in his routine; a routine that has found a home at the Soho Theatre after an extremely successful run at the Edinburgh Fringe.
His bits are detailed and often more setup than punchline, but this works. His style feels innately modern, and swirling around in the story for longer than is traditional makes for multiple funny moments: gags don’t just rely on a witty line at the end of them, they are self-referential and have layers of perception and observation within them.
Jokes are constructed and subsequently deconstructed for the audience, an experience that you might imagine detracts from the immersion into the story and the experience of finding them funny but actually, it does the opposite. Davies comes across as completely honest and by allowing the audience to see his creative process – why the hour and sections within are structured as they are and why certain elements are or aren’t there – you understand exactly why you are laughing. Which makes the whole thing even funnier!
Davies’ shtick is his keyboard, strapped to his body, connected to him and the way he articulates his perspective. Sound in general plays a big part of this show and this really sets him apart from his field. We can hear the world of Huge Davies through his voice and keyboard and it’s clear that he understands the world through sound. Perfect impressions and audio observations are just so satisfying and this show is littered with them!
Davies has complete artistic control over what the audience hears for an hour and he utilises this fact to maximum effect. Numerous songs beautifully punctuate Whodunnit, all of them gripping the audience with their fully committed delivery as much as they tickle with their whimsical content. On the other end of the audio spectrum Davies is by no means afraid of silence, with pauses used extensively (though never becoming tiresome) and aptly adding immensely to both the comedy and the narrative.
The hour is tight yet the performance of it feels free – a difficult and impressive achievement many comedians strive for. Slick and perfectly timed moments show both Davies’ command over what he wants the audience experience to be and his attention to and interrogation of how a story works (an integral theme of his set). The venue is perfect for this production, matching Davies’ tone perfectly and accommodating his playful use of lighting design to further involve the audience and complement his trademark devious, cheeky delivery.
I left the Soho Theatre quite late at night, but fully saturated with wonder and inspiration. Davies does not disappoint with his comedy and utterly impresses with his creativity. Whether it be the comedy, music or theatre that brings you out to see Whodunnit, you will enjoy what is a hilarious and delightful piece of entertainment.
Written by Huge Davies
Produced by Avalon
Whodunnit plays at Soho Theatre until 2 March. Further information and bookings can be found here.
