Canadian comic Glenn Wool returns to the New Zealand stage after a five-year absence with a routine that rockets from the recession to religion, drugs to divorce, with an energy and passion that belies his ‘don’t give a stuff’ exterior.

"Know your enemy," Wool urges his audience at the beginning of the set – and the enemy, according to Wool at least, is not the guys who look like him with metal T-Shirts and dishevelled facial hair. ‘The enemy’ are the guys in fancy suits, the ones who cause the recessions, who make up the laws – and then calmly collect their golden handshakes and million dollar bonuses and head home in their gas-guzzling four wheel drives.

Not that Wool cares much about the environment, he is quick to point out.  His stage persona plays very much with the assumptions that we make about guys in metal t-shirts and bogan outfits. The contrast between his self-confessedly ‘scruffy’ appearance and his obvious and apparent intelligence and interest in the affairs of the world drives much of the humour.

It is nice to see someone that impassioned about things, and to see somebody using their position as a comedian to make valid social and political commentary about things that are clearly important to them. 

His material ranges from musings on current affairs: religion, finance, and homosexual law reform to more gritty stories clearly drawn from his own experiences.  Wool manages to turn an inflammatory and insulting comment, or a painful personal revelation into a gag with a devilish sideways glance and a cheeky self satisfied smile.

Wool is a confident and charismatic performer; he is very aware of his crowd and makes us a vital part of the performance – and he is not above berating the audience for not laughing at him. A somewhat unresponsive opening night crowd were told the reason they were not laughing was because they did not ‘get it’ – rather than that perhaps we did not find the joke particularly funny. 

However, the audience warmed up as his act progressed, Wool got into his stride, and we responded in kind as the material grew stronger.  We were even treated to an absurd scenario involving the Dream Police with Wool saying, "You’re a special audience, I don’t tell that joke to all the audiences." Which seems a real pity, as that was my favourite part of the whole show – and bizarre as it was it sat better with me than familiar jokes about paedophiles and fellatio from transvestites.

In general this show was intelligent, well-structured and a good laugh.  Glenn Wool ended his set with an open invitation for everyone to get hammered with him and, hot damn, if I had any money I would have.
_______________________________
For more production details, click on the title above. Go to Home page to see other Reviews, recent Comments and Forum postings (under Chat Back), and News. 

Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer