I’ll start this review with what I really want to say to the gays out there: if you see one stand-up comedy show this Fringe, see this one.
If you see one stand-up comedy show this Fringe, see this one
Will Owen’s Like, Nobody’s Watching is like a warm hug to the audience’s collective inner child, especially any audience member who is ‘confident and happy’, myself included. As he bounds on stage (to the thumping sound of Rush by Troye Sivan) Owen takes control of The Crate at Assembly, holding our attention for the fifty-five-minute wild ride and not letting go.
The show is absolutely packed with laughs. From a family member’s four-minute Rihanna tribute to a cringe-inducing world record, there are several moments in the show where it’s clear that Will Owen is most certainly the star he always believed he was as a child. His banter with the audience was just perfect – from asking a group of girls which TV show judge they were (the only answer is Sharon Osbourne, stunningly absent from the answers given) to his dealings with a particularly obstinate police officer in the front row – a highlight for the rest of the audience. When said policeman tried to derail the show at points, Owen did a masterful job at keeping the show on track, making us laugh in the process, a scary task for any comedian.
Not only is Owen’s material spot on for any Loose Women-watching, reality television-loving, Brat-listening gay man, the deep love and affection that Owen shares for his queer identity absolutely shines through, especially in his occasional, mostly one-way, chats with his tech.
From a selfish perspective, the message I took from this show is that if Will Owen and I knew each other when we were kids, we would instantly be best friends. As a comedy reviewer, I see a performer who oozes talent, much like the gold confetti on his posters plastered around the city.
It certainly wouldn’t surprise me if Will Owen is one of the names on everyone’s lips come the end of August.
