John Kearns: Don’t Worry They’re Here

“You never know what’s real up here” the buck-toothed, Friar Tuck-wigged Fosters Edinburgh Comedy Award Winner John Kearns exclaimed halfway through his latest bout of superior character comedy. Ostensibly a Vic ’n’ Bob-style silly voice caricature-oaf meandering his way through perfectly-realised ridiculous anecdotes in dimly-lit bookies, empty cafes and suburban massage parlours, Kearns’ real agenda was far more interesting. Weaving pseudo-profound and actual-profound sentiment into his stories, it soon became clear that the boundary between performer and character was blurring. Cherry picking elements of slapstick, surrealism and philosophy, this genuinely unique, massively entertaining hybrid was refreshingly difficult to pigeonhole.

Komedia, 7 March 2018
Rating:
Nick Aldwinckle