Underground Venues, Comedy
Run ended
Reviewed by Alice de Cent

“Shyness is nice” said The Smiths – but added the caveat that “shyness can stop you doing all the things in life you want to”. Joseph Ross-Williams is out to confront his own shyness in this show, co-written with the other half of Sad Little Flyer, Michael Love.

Ross-Williams has a relaxed and chatty style, and a low-tech approach which utilises hand-drawn diagrams in place of a projected PowerPoint presentation. While the no-frills approach keeps it personal, the material isn’t quite polished enough to get away with it.

A small audience can be challenging, especially when the show requires a certain level of participation. Ross-Williams is a pretty likeable guy, but could aim to develop his approach to audience interaction. At certain points, when the audience was less responsive, he seemed a little antagonistic.

Tackling head-on classic fears, including reading out loud and peeing in public, Ross-Williams sets his sights high. But he doesn’t quite earn his finale. A more solid show would have a greater chance of winning the audience’s confidence, and getting them on side for a triumphant, anarchic ending.

Shyness Is Nice has promise, but isn’t quite ready yet. All the same – Sad Little Flyer have a firm concept, which will resonate with much of the audience.  With a little more development, this show could truly live up to its ambitions.