In this comfortable fifty minutes or so, likeable Matthew Highton delivers good stand-up comedy that won’t leave you looking at your watch, but you won’t be wishing that it’s never going to end. Using his insomnia as a focal point, the show draws on Highton’s amusing and usually sleep-deprived life experiences.
The genial Highton certainly made no enemies amongst his audience. His stories of sleep-googling, sleep-stress and sleep-anger were met with unanimous smiles that broke into shared laughter when he introduced bed-companion Beero, a creepily unblinking large doll. From video-games to the internet, Highton’s attention to detail pointed his audience to a variety of hilarious absurdities. At times though the specificity of his jokes became that little bit too niche. However having encouraged some real supporters amongst his audience, Highton’s jokes were never greeted by a grim silence.
The show climaxed at its finale, with a cleverly-structured, witty and eloquently delivered monologue (synchronised successfully with an amusing backing track). Highton weaves together the seemingly disparate strands of his show, revealing that his stand-up involved substantial craft and creativity, which is backed up when you think of his effective use of photos, video clips and props. The show’s funny moments might not leave you gasping for breath, but you’ll have a few good laughs and come away smiling.
