“You’ve proved my point: nobody has any respect for me”, McCaffery laments as four latecomers traipse across his stage to their seats, interrupting his flow. But by the time the hour is up, we have seen conclusive evidence that he is wrong: I leave with a great deal of respect for the writer and performer of such an enjoyable set.
Paul McAffery’s show is a wonderful mixture of youthful exuberance and weary nostalgia. Both are very amusing.
Paul McCaffery is rather older than one would usually expect the protagonist of a coming of age story to be. Nonetheless, this is what his show feels like. His delivery is charming and affable, as he leads us through his life with self-deprecating humour. Stories about his recent marriage and the merits of new-build housing mingle in with anecdotes about drinking games and going to the toilet somewhere you shouldn’t after a night out.
McCaffery’s personable delivery and improvised asides make his show feel spontaneous – more of a conversation than a prepared set. Having said this, there aren’t many huge laughs, just a steady stream of chuckles. When the big laughs do come, they are often as the result of something said by an audience member rather than McCaffery himself.
Paul McAffery’s show is a wonderful mixture of youthful exuberance and weary nostalgia. Both are very amusing. See this show for an engaging and affable journey through the life of a man who is, like so many others, still coming to terms with adulthood.
