Work in Progress: Marek Larwood – Pleasance Theatre Comedy Review

The 'We are Klang' man begins his show by providing us with a montage of his more humiliating and demeaning moments in comedy. We see his panicked face mashed into the breast of one of his male cohorts; a preface to telling us that he wants to be taken seriously as a performer. Thrust straight into the surrealism, he is joined on stage by 'Pighead', who fills the roles of both 'The Price is Right' style assistant and comedy ally in a pig costume. With Pighead's help Larwood regales us with his affecting story of becoming 'typecast'. He introduces a list which we are going to work through together as a room, consisting of a step-by-step path, explaining acting, comedy and the various pitfalls that accompany it. Over the course of the hour, Larwood will masterfully succumb to these pitfalls for our amusement. He will also wear tennis ball-filled underpants. At one stage, Larwood participates in a mocked up comedy panel show in which a mute Larwood limply holds his hand horn buzzer. Throughout the comedy rounds(which sport increasingly foul names) he cuts a wonderfully desperate figure. It's important to note, however, that there is method in all of the madness and whimsy; he has good jokes and times his delivery well, with an air of confidence telling of a man far more comfortable in front of an audience than his self-critical jokes might suggest. On one occasion requesting that the audience 'talk amongst themselves' while he remembers where he is going with a bit. It's obvious that for all of the mock breakdown, feigned crises and self-deprecation, Larwood is a likeable, funny man with things to tell you about himself and the state of everything. Subtly woven into all the silliness are some real thoughts and feelings. But if you are interested in seeing a man strut around a stage to the clop of horse's hooves, that is also available. Marek Larwood will be performing at the Pleasance Theatre until the 7th June. You can join him by going here: http://www.pleasance.co.uk/islington/events/marek-larwoods-work-in-progress