Jerome’s Variety Hour is a fun sixty minutes although it is a bit scarce on the variety component.  A guest appearance by talented up-and comer-Cruzanne MacAlister does add a bit of zest to the evening, but other than that this ‘Variety Hour’ is standard stand-up fare.

This is not to say that Jerome’s show is lacking – far from it.  Jerome proves himself to be a very talented entertainer.  Warm and relaxed, he is just the tonic for this late May cold snap, bringing a charm and charisma to the stage which is hard to resist.  The cosiness of Happy, complete with armchairs and couches, makes it hard not to feel totally at ease with Jerome and the content of his show.

Much of the material stems from the theme of ‘broken patterns’, such as his joke about toddlers staring in supermarkets.  This motif is an important component of the very nature of humour itself.  Jerome understands what humour is and where it comes from.  We’re in good hands here. Comedy is totally Jerome’s bag.

The guest appearance by Cruzanne MacAlister is a welcome addition to the show.  She arrives armed with the same killer set from Miscellaneous Etc, which she already knows will be a crowd pleaser.  I’m certainly looking forward to a full-length show from Cruzanne, which is no doubt in the mixer, giving her more opportunity to take her time with the material and not feel the need to rush so much.

So the performers are great and the content is sharp.  There’s not really a lot to criticise other than a lack of variation, and this only because of the expectations set up by the title.  If you’re up for some casual laughs as the Comedy Festival draws to a close, ‘Jerome’s Hour’ is one to see.
_______________________________
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

This review of Jerome Chandrahasen’s performance will read quickly as follows: He was OK.

Seriously though, he was. I am not going to say tonight’s gig was ‘rolling around in the hay’ fun, but I will mention to his credit he kept us chuckling at his oddball explanations of his interesting experiences to date. My friend found him hilarious and from what I noted of others reaction in our vicinity, they did too; once again to his credit.

I can’t help but notice he is distracted and seems to lose his train of thought quite easily, not doing any favours for his wordplay or the gags. Segments of his performance show his comic ease, but this is a staggered occurrence and offers no continuity to the vibe of his onstage persona.

After a quick mention about a recent bereavement, it is understandable his comic resolve has yet to gain its momentum and this in part may have contributed to his docile performance.

Now, I am disappointed to summarise his show so flatly; especially after I have perused his comic pedigree online and found he has been performing for 4 (+) years in the Comedy Festival with notable success.

In closing, I will nonetheless commend Jerome Chandrahasen for making the effort to keep us laughing. Last night’s show was the first of four nights, if I may prompt you go check him out; form your own opinion. Support our New Zealand comedians.
_______________________________
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