Rohan Sharma‘s debut hour Mad Dog is nothing if not ambitious. The young Pleasance Reserve Alumnus takes his British Hindu heritage as starting point and then hurtles off in all manner of directions like a turbo-charged Roomba. National identity, British culture, the malleability of truth, racism are all addressed in a disarming, wide-eyed manner. It’s blistering stuff, albeit a little bit too scattergun.

Sharma feels disconnected from his Hindu heritage. He likes Britain, its culture, and even its food (‘Deep-fried paedophiles!’). He rejects the notion that every show by a British person of colour should revolve around that identity. Besides, he’s way too playful and mischievous to wallow in struggles he feels he’s never had. He has a lot to say about Colonel Gaddafi though. He’s also equipped with his trusty PowerPoint, and a very chatty tech guy.

The show’s title has a few meanings, one of which is ironic given Sharma’s restless labrador energy. He couldn’t appear threatening if he’d stormed on with a bazooka. Although, he may give the impression of being eager to please as draws a particular audience member into his matey confidence. But it’s all a cunning ruse! The poor man is now the butt of Sharma’s gentle mockery. For example, Rohan goads him into proving he isn’t racist by picking young Sharma out of a lineup of Saddam Hussein’s children.

For the most part it’s a successful debut hour, full of unpredictable diversions and shaggy dog stories nested inside each other like matryoshka dolls. He deploys some ‘selective truths’ about his origins to an extent he goes off on an interlude of various confessions, admitting to outrageous bullshit while sitting on a number of increasingly smaller stools. It’s all witty, inventive stuff.

Less successful is the frequent interventions from ‘Dan the Tech Guy’. The chatty Dan acts as alternatively a wannabe comedian irritant and Sharma’s interrogator and voice of conscience. Not a bad idea in itself, but Dan is used far too frequently, disrupting the already juddering, zigzagging rhythm of the show. They also tend to be the least funny moments, noticeably dragging the overall quality of ‘Mad Dog’ down.

It might be antithetical to Rohan Sharma’s enjoyable random, gently surreal approach to advise that a little more focus would go a long way, but there are undeniable fits and starts that a little fine-tuning would easily settle. As it is, ‘Mad Dog’ is a fine debut hour, full of potential, and no little amount of tall tales.

‘Mad Dog‘ is at Pleasance Courtyard – Below until Sun 24 Aug 2025 at 19:10