Controversial viewpoints and a dismissive attitude to PC culture can work if two criteria are met: good style, and the ability to fully explain the rationale behind an opinion. Andrew Lawrence has certainly not been afraid to court controversy in recent years, but unfortunately his
Lawrence’s delivery was clever and he often had excellent timing when dropping punchlines – but neither of these qualities went very far to redeem him from his disappointingly immature content.
Lawrence’s routine lacked a clear structure and was rather loosely held together by various anecdotes about his family. He spoke about his past relationships and made various juvenile jokes about his new one year-old child. Lawrence’s delivery was clever and he often had excellent timing when dropping punchlines – but neither of these qualities went very far to redeem him from his disappointingly immature content. The final joke of the set summed up the entirety of the experience: a crass dick joke complete with a culturally insensitive slur.
Which brings this reviewer on to a wider point about the politics of The Happy Accident Tour. Whilst it’s not the job of a comedy review to have a political stance, perhaps I may be permitted to paraphrase Aristotle, who said that “comedy should not cause pain”. Over 2,300 years after that particular philosopher’s death, making a mockery of oppressed groups does come across as old-fashioned comedy of the worst sort, and a lazy choice from a performer who is seemingly unaware of his own privilege. Many of Lawrence’s lines were just outright offensive, rather than at all thought-provoking or interesting, and it seemed from this performance that he has chosen to ride on his reputation rather than develop any necessarily comic material.
