Paul Douglas wanted to be a part-time comedian and part-time detective when he grew up. Unfortunately the latter has not quite come to be although he has been to one potential crime scene.
True Detective is an hour of amusing anecdotes from Douglas’ life which eventually culminate to the day he got to realize his dreams of becoming a detective. The show starts with a hilarious dilemma he faces while in a trampoline park with his nephew which subsequently becomes the springboard for further stories.
McDonald’s characters are discussed, drinking habits are assessed and a joke about skid marks leaves quite the impression. Douglas is a confident and adept storyteller, seamlessly moving from one tale to the next. He plays off the crowd’s reactions well and his affable persona make him easy to engage with.
The highlight of the show is the final story where a routine visit to his grandparents’ turns hairy. Armed with his hangover and a group of ‘free range geriatrics’ for company, Douglas gets the opportunity to play detective. The narrative is engaging enough with many comical parts and an excellent finish though I felt it could have been not quite so drawn out and a lot tighter.
True Detective has many laugh-out-loud moments with some great punchlines and clever use of wordplay. It just needed more detective material. That aside, Paul Douglas’ keen comedic eye and his witty often sarcastic style of humor made for an entertaining hour.
True Detective is on for another two more nights (until May 7th) at 10pm at The Classic. It then heads to the Cavern Club for its Wellington run from May 10th – 14th at 8:30pm. For more details and to book tickets, click here.
comedy | theatre | live entertainment | performing arts 