It’s amazing at times how little Chris Coltrane has to do to make his audience laugh. Whilst the audience finds their seats, he has a slide show playing of Donald Trump tweets, each more ridiculous than the last. These, being a select few from the comedic gold mine that is Mr Trumps twitter account, have the audience giggling among themselves before the show has even started, making it seem that, for the most part, Coltrane’s material writes itself. Yet it would a downright lie to say that Coltrane relies purely on the incompetence of today’s politicians to make his audiences laugh, with his wit, incredible grasp of analogies and self-awareness instead doing the work.
What’s interesting about his show is that it not for one moment feels preachy. Coltrane is passionate about what he believes; he’s fed up with the current political system and angry at the government spending cuts, showing he’s a performer who doesn’t shy away from his political views, whatever the consequences.
Coltrane’s set admittedly isn’t quite the barrage of left wing satire the title would have you believe. Anecdotes from his drug use to his experience at a chocolate festival make up a sizeable chunk of the show and the laughs.
This is by no means to say that Coltrane backs away from his political obligations; armed with statistics, anecdotes and a wonderful skill for analogies, he takes down right-wingers, left-wingers and even the ‘radical centre’ (a term with which Coltrane naturally has a field day) with his sharp put downs and well-argued, but more importantly hilarious points.
What’s interesting about his show is that it not for one moment feels preachy. Coltrane is passionate about what he believes; he’s fed up with the current political system and angry at the government spending cuts, showing he’s a performer who doesn’t shy away from his political views, whatever the consequences. But you never once feel that sharing his views point by point is a necessity to enjoy his show.
Of course if your political views do get in way of engaging in any show, please think twice before going. The show’s title isn’t 100% true, but it’s hardly misleading. However if you’re willing to put your political views to side for some smart, shrewdly observed political satire, Chris Coltrane is your man.
