Modern masculinity explored
★★★☆☆
A debut stand-up hour from Horatio Gould sees him consider how masculinity has shifted throughout a generation. With his laid-back demeanour, he calmly meanders through topics peppered with amusing anecdotes and remarks but on occasion, his relaxed attitude strays him into uncomfortable arenas where the jokes miss their mark with the Edinburgh audience.
Gould nicely riffs with the audience, quick-witted and comfortable in working reactively to the crowd in front of him. He neatly considers his perspective as a 26 year old, highly aware of the differences between him and his sleepwalking father. The shift between class, awareness and acceptance evident in how the younger generation reacts to the world around them but to the detriment of being less funny.
His dry nature allows for unexpected twists in his storytelling. Lengthy pauses always lead to some form of surprising admission that for the most part garners belly laughs within the audience. Other moments are less satisfying however, the sporadic unsettled intake of breath demonstrating that Gould has strayed into troublesome territory and we don’t know whether to laugh.
This is a confident and succinct debut from a rising star on the comedy circuit and with some further experience, there is potential to see for future sets to be truly excellent.
Running 6-14th, 16-27th - Tickets