Dan Wright

• Peggy Hughes
• 13 August 2012

This article is from 2012.

Energetic and enthusiastic journey through Michael Jackson fandom

Michael Jackson touched Dan Wright. 32 years old and still pining for the star who blazed a trail and burned out too soon, Wright takes us on a trip down memory lane, from childhood to the present day as a hardened fan, via those awkward, bullied teenage years. His obsession with MJ led to all kinds of japes: defiant moonwalking, how he hoped a Page 3 girl could help him in his campaign for Jackson’s innocence, spinning amusing yarns out of entries in his Jackson scrapbook. Wright is very energetic, enthusiastic and likeable, and his theatrical credentials and presenter role on Big Cook Little Cook – cooking fun for tiny folk – coalesce to form an uplifting and slick stage presence. Small portions of his prepared material looked and smelt too much like stagey gags, and it was nice to see him cut loose and be reactive when the need arose – which it did, when he mistook a chap in the front row (called Michael) for a madam. Here be laughs aplenty, and some impressive, joint-defying dancing too.

Gilded Balloon, 0844 545 8252, until 26 Aug (not 13), 9.30pm, £9 (£8).