Robert White: The Curious Incident of the Gag and the Gun-crime... Plus More Stuff!

• Suzanne Black
• 4 August 2014

This article is from 2014

Uneven Free Fringe comedy show taking in puns, Asperger's and homosexuality

Robert White strikes an odd note from the off as he enters the stage dressed in a bin bag and playing the trumpet. Once the show proper starts, it is still difficult to get a handle on what he’s trying to pull off.

White has Asperger’s and uses his place on the autistic spectrum to frame his jokes and make meta-commentary on their reception, making much of his difficulty in reading people. He is similarly difficult to read. A large amount of his material is made up of groan-worthy puns, some of which land, but their abundance reaps diminishing returns. Many of his quips seem to reveal a mean-spiritedness, coming across as offensive without being funny enough to justify it.

He also makes a big deal out of being gay and, pretending to make advances towards a member of the audience whom he assumes is straight, exhibits an irksome heteronormativity. In 2014 talking about anal sex is not shocking and does not make one unique.

A performer can get away with a lot if they keep the laughter rolling in but White is yet to find an audience for his brand of humour.

Heroes @ The Hive, 226 0000, until 24 Aug (not 11, 18), 5.30pm, pay what you want (£5 in advance).