Oxford Review: Ben Champion - Human |
Humans have their failings – but all in all, they’re pretty awesome. Ben Champion has a life-affirming message, some nice observations on human frailty and, if I may be so bold, a name worthy of a comic-book hero. He also has some damn fine songs. The comedy song is a difficult art. When it’s done right it can have a longevity most jokes can’t boast… but when it’s done badly, it’s just a comedian whipping out their ukulele to disguise some B material with an even less impressive chord progression. Fear not! Champion’s music is at the heart of his act – he has an electric piano and two kinds of guitar – and he is a master, using a number of musical styles and some clever lyrics to create a host of entertaining songs, all on the subject of what it is to be human. Humanity is a wide subject, and Champion covers everything from dictators to reusable shopping bags. The show maintains a good balance between a collection of songs and spoken sections, which both work as stand-alone entities, and impressively weave a wealth of subjects into a cohesive whole. But Human is a very satisfying show, with plenty of laughs. Bouncing with ease from everyday frustrations to existential questions, Champion’s songs are accessible and irreverent – making for a show that is smart, funny and awesome in equal measure. |
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