What happens when you fuse comedy and theatre together and want to see if people would be concerned or couldn’t care less at the prospect of a ‘white man in trouble’? You get Nic Sampson Has Fallen Down a Well.
In essence, this fifty-minute piece fuses together a solid repertoire of stand up with some comically exaggerated showmanship. It sees Sampson exercise his comedic and performing chops to deliver one brilliantly absurd, absurdly brilliant show.
From having conversations with strangers at bus-stops and discovering the wonders of nine dimensional cinema to playing the guy who has to fail guide dog puppies, Sampson’s material had great entertainment value and showed excellent comedic instincts. Along the way, different characters come into the mix with Sampson embodying each one to comedic effect.
In the wrong hands, a concept like this could easily veer into self-indulgent territory. Sampson toes this line well and even at it’s most farcical, it somehow still just works. His self-deprecating style of observational comedy pair well with his theatrical delivery to form a lively and boisterous comedy experience.
The premise to this show and how Sampson lets it unravel might be lost on some and if you are someone that just wants to see a straight stand up show then this is probably not for you. Judging by last night’s crowd though, Sampson has found a niche in comedy that overall translates extremely well.
Nic Sampson Has Fallen Down a Well is an offbeat, deftly written show that is a little bit dramatic, a lot eccentric and consistently funny. This cleverly conceived piece will give you more bang for your buck and is an enjoyable late night comedy treat.
Nic Sampson Has Fallen Down a Well is on at The Basement at 10pm until May 14th. For more details and to book tickets, click here.
comedy | theatre | live entertainment | performing arts 