Having enjoyed Guy Capper’s idiosyncratic style in the past and admired his claymation skills, I anticipated his new show, Interviews with the Universe, would be a winner. With environmental issues finally getting traction where it counts, and Capper about to take his talents to a wider world, all seemed aligned for a potent hour of universal wit.

Even though the show started 25 minutes late, the opening night audience exuded goodwill, making bantering offers and heckles that most stand-up comedians would have welcomed. But Capper wasted the opportunities.

He has clearly worked on his animations. The band on the sand – three Green Greeblies on guitar and brass, a Sheep on keyboard and a Polar Bear on drums – is fun. The Frogman DJ – yep, why not?

When at last the ‘live’ interviews via the internet come to pass, some point to the evening seems to be possible. The Tree’s simple view of life and his limited horizon is fair enough.  The Polar Bear who is more concerned with getting a USB cable than responding to the Inconvenient Truth DVD Guy sent is quite funny. The Earth having to put up with wars flaring up is effective … But it’s not what I’d call penetrating satire. Nor does it rate as inspired lunacy.

As for the ‘stand-up’ stuff in between, involving pastrami, a piano, references to Play School … most of it is ill-conceived and poorly executed. His addled brain riffs are a party trick way past their use by date. If he thinks he’s doing an Eddie Izzard, he has completely misunderstood the essence of that particular genius talent.

The last two animations don’t come off either. The Internet character looks OK but is out of sync and says nothing of consequence. And the Universe itself, shaped like an orange soft-serve turd on a yellow blob in front of a hi-tech console, just doesn’t compute for me. Again, it has nothing of value to add. All that meticulous work for so little result … Why?

Committed failures are forgivable when the perpetrators is taking risks but Capper’s show simply comes over as ill-prepared. Shame.

Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer

Having enjoyed Guy Capper’s idiosyncratic style in the past and admired his claymation skills, I anticipated his new show, Interviews with the Universe, would be a winner. With environmental issues finally getting traction where it counts, and Capper about to take his talents to a wider world, all seemed aligned for a potent hour of universal wit.

Even though the show started 25 minutes late, the opening night audience exuded goodwill, making bantering offers and heckles that most stand-up comedians would have welcomed. But Capper wasted the opportunities.

He has clearly worked on his animations. The band on the sand – three Green Greeblies on guitar and brass, a Sheep on keyboard and a Polar Bear on drums – is fun. The Frogman DJ – yep, why not?

When at last the ‘live’ interviews via the internet come to pass, some point to the evening seems to be possible. The Tree’s simple view of life and his limited horizon is fair enough.  The Polar Bear who is more concerned with getting a USB cable than responding to the Inconvenient Truth DVD Guy sent is quite funny. The Earth having to put up with wars flaring up is effective … But it’s not what I’d call penetrating satire. Nor does it rate as inspired lunacy.

As for the ‘stand-up’ stuff in between, involving pastrami, a piano, references to Play School … most of it is ill-conceived and poorly executed. His addled brain riffs are a party trick way past their use by date. If he thinks he’s doing an Eddie Izzard, he has completely misunderstood the essence of that particular genius talent.

The last two animations don’t come off either. The Internet character looks OK but is out of sync and says nothing of consequence. And the Universe itself, shaped like an orange soft-serve turd on a yellow blob in front of a hi-tech console, just doesn’t compute for me. Again, it has nothing of value to add. All that meticulous work for so little result … Why?

Committed failures are forgivable when the perpetrators is taking risks but Capper’s show simply comes over as ill-prepared. Shame.
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Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer