Mike Wozniak seems too nice to make a good job of murdering his mother-in-law, even though he seems to fantasize about it a hell of a lot during his show Take the Hit. Wozniak’s amicable manner leads us through a series of anecdotes and whilst much of the show is themed around the domestic, he refrains from straying too far into staid observational comedy.
Wozniak presents himself as a humble guy who’s been knocking at the door of show-business for too long; his tuxedo is frayed and his moustache gives the effect of a homeless Bruce Forsyth rather than a dashing Tom Selleck. He might not be a sharp dresser but at times his improvised wit is absolutely surgical.
Wozniak is a good storyteller as well as being comfortable with one-liners and his frustrated suburban persona fits the show’s theme well. Despite playing to a half-full room, he still managed to build a good rapport with his audience and seemed an experienced and well-heeled performer. When faced with interruptions, Wozniak reacted well and considering the ease with which he was able to improvise, it’s disappointing he relied so much on his written content and decided not to ramble a little further off script.
Wozniak’s oeuvre is zany in a low-key fashion, blending smart wisecracks with madcap, unconventional anecdotes. At times his physical gags felt a little out of place and the routine could have done with some improvement in pacing, especially when transitioning between subjects. Despite this, his range of subjects included an excellent spiel on the boredom of living in Exeter and the possibility of police horses branching out into detective work.
Whilst Wozniak is a smart comedian, his roving anecdotes felt a little safe and it was obvious that he was playing within his comfort zone. Still, this is clearly a reliable and assured performer at ease with his audience and his material and his is a show that should appeal to just about everyone.
