Helen Keen’s latest show is a fairly mixed bag. A self-acknowledged space obsessive and internet addict, Keen essentially uses her hour slot to talk about the weirder spectrum of her interests, with some entertaining results. The dark corners of the internet often prove fruitful material for comedians, who can simply point at their findings and be confident that the audience will laugh along with them, united in shared incredulity. Helen Keen does more with this than most, however, providing us with her own take on all the weirdness, and even making her own contribution to the twisted world of Sherlock fan art. Much of her material is space-based, or at least space related, which will come as no surprise to those who heard her Radio 4 show 'It Is Rocket Science'. She also reacts with her audience with charm and ease, talking to them rather than at them. You don’t need to be afraid of sitting in the front row – it’s more like having a lively conversation with a friend than seeing a stand-up show.
Keen’s conversational style fits her material very well, though her delivery is very fast, and peppered with a few too many ‘Ums’ and ‘Like, I don’t knows’. She admitted that the show in its current form at the Brighton Fringe is a work in progress, with material still being filtered out and adjusted. It could do with having a more concrete overarching narrative and clearer segways to avoid the occasional stumble and pause between sections. That said, it’s solid and cheerful entertainment, and, once its kinks are ironed out, will be a good show to look out for in the future. Helen Keen herself is charming and friendly, and seeing her show is a fun and hassle-free experience. We even got space-themed gingerbread biscuits. If you like your comedy fun, friendly and slightly nerdy, this is for you.
