Kevin Dewsbury is a bloke. He likes football, beer and... sexy men. Yes, Kevin Dewsbury's sexual orientation is the big twist in his new show, the supposed unique selling proposition (USP) of this particular stand-up. However, given that this USP is flagged up rather early on in the show, you might wonder where he has to go with it. Plenty of places, as it turns out.
Yes, Dewsbury's gay, and he knows – indeed, revels in – the fact that he doesn't conform to many of the gay stereotypes. There are some good reasons for his 'straight-acting' attitude, which he is honest enough to explain. (No spoilers, but they do include a Catholic upbringing and a wife). Though, as Captain Hindsight might say, there were clues about his 'preferences' that just didn't seem to be noticed at the time, such as his childhood choice to stay indoors singing musical numbers rather than always playing footie outside.
This, however, leads us to what is actually Dewsbury's real USP as a stand-up comedian. It goes without saying that he's an assured presence on stage, ready with seemingly off-the-cuff one-liners and great punchlines to longer riffs (such as his appointment to the Gay Agenda Committee for the Promotion of Homosexuality). He's also happy to accuse his audience of having far dirtier minds than him when they laugh at his carefully placed innuendo, but the pleasant surprise is just how good a singer Dewsbury actually is. As he sings along to a backing track, the act comes with an appropriate wiff of the most horrible gay bar karaoke imaginable, yet Dewsbury can certainly deliver a tune and his self-penned lyrics provide some sharp observations on the most important things in the gay world – coming out, getting revenge on ex-boyfriends, etc. While many of his observations on life are sharp and on the ball, it's the songs that will perhaps linger longest in your memory.
