Showing @ Pleasance Dome, Edinburgh until Thu 22 Aug @ 20:20
Stranger presents a mildly confusing dichotomy, namely; how much of its failings were deliberate choices and how many were simply problems on Daniel Simonsen’s part. The talent is still present in last year’s Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer winner, but Simonsen seems to have buckled under pressure by distancing himself from his previous misanthropic and socially awkward social commentary.
By claiming that the entire show is pointedly without structure and dissecting the nature of audience relations, delivery styles and comedy reviews, he seems to be attempting to equate himself to the post-modern, self-aware material of Stewart Lee or Nick Helm. However, he fails to mirror this with good material or a real sense of progression. The reclusive, deadpan style remains and there are flashes of brilliance – particularly in his consideration of sexual fantasy pre-internet – but this is balanced by prolonged silences and joking about the show needing to end soon. Unfortunately on the latter he was correct. Simonsen is still talented and if he rediscovers his form is well worth seeing. Stranger, though is in need of significant work.