Josh Jones cuts a flamboyant, genial presence on stage. He’s wonderfully camp and warm as he spouts short anecdotes and one liners about being gay and northern. These are the two axes that his hour hinges on, and he even asks himself the eternal question, would you rather be gay or northern? He never takes himself very seriously and it’s all quite silly – at one point he even blames his homosexuality on a jacket his dad bought him in his youth. In this vein, Jones’ flights of fancy meander all over and create an endearingly funny show.
However, some of Jones’ material can lack the serious bite or wit it needs to tick. For instance, in some of his racier anecdotes or quips, he attempts to be risqué, but he ends up arriving at a bland conclusion where he’s bragging about something or confessing to being attracted to drug dealers. Something similar happens when he attempts to branch off into talking about history – which, as we learn, was his favourite subject – he starts off with an interesting premise, but the follow through just isn’t quite there. One exception is a segment about former sugar refineries in Manchester being converted into luxury flats – he arrives, in that instance, as a delightfully ridiculous visual image.
Jones’ show is also light on the crowd work – which serves him well, as it allows his momentum to flow unimpeded – until it’s not, and he breaks off suddenly into conversation with a couple members of the crowd; It doesn’t seem to serve any purpose and only really serves to jar with the rest of his material. However Jones’ presence and flamboyance allow for an undeniably entertaining hour.
Josh Jones: Put a Sock in It, 20.40, Monkey Barrel, until August 25
https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/josh-jones-put-a-sock-in-it
