Just how easy is it to be a comedian? Why are some things funny and others not? These are just some of the question that Punchline, written by Ross Ericson, poses. Telling the story of Adam, a forty-something man who wishes to become a stand-up comic. The story takes you through the various different types of comedy and motivation of someone trying to get into it.
The dialogue is quick and mostly funny although it feels almost a bit too polished with the actors rattling through the script at such a pace that it doesn’t feel natural. There are also several asides that break the fourth wall. The success of these vary, with one being tender and giving us a view into the psyche of the main character, a rare moment of introspection that is both effective and rather touching. However, others just seemed like an opportunity to swear and slag off comedians that the writer clearly has a distaste for. There were times in the show were it is unclear how the characters relate to each other. Were Clive and Brad his friends, his flatmates, what? There is reference that they went to school together but if that's the case you would expect a more supportive atmosphere, surely?
My main issue with this show, however, was the ending that simply came out of left field and made little to no sense. I'm not sure whether they were trying to make an interesting point about the characters but it felt incomplete and a little odd.
There is nothing seriously wrong with this show but there is nothing remarkable about it either. There are definitely laughs throughout but ultimately it’s a show that lacked punch.
