Hans: Mein Camp

• Gareth K Vile
• 6 August 2017

This article is from 2017

A generic evening of cabaret fun, with added accordion pumping

Hans pretends to be German, wears revealing outfits and sings camp versions of popular songs, sometimes changing the lyrics to give them a satirical edge. There are spectacular costume changes, cheeky exchanges with the audience (including dressing a couple of them up) and references to World War II. It's a predictable mix of ideas previously seen in shows by Dusty Limits, Frank Sanazi and even Meow Meow.

Despite the lack of imagination, Hans does have a few additional skills: the turn on the piano is a virtuosic display of thumping rock'n'roll, the accordion numbers are intimate and funny, and Hans keeps the party atmosphere going until the balloon heavy finale. Yet he doesn't have a strong enough singing voice to stand out in an increasingly busy cabaret scene and the lack of bite in the humour is disappointingly predictable.

The video footage of Donald Trump is unnecessary – a trick to cover Hans' costume changes, it's little more than a YouTube hack – and Hans' charm prevents the show descending into either crudeness or tedium. But until Hans discovers a voice – and trains it – this is merely a fun evening without much of an identity.

Underbelly Med Quad, until 28 Aug, 10.15pm, £11–£13 (£10–£11).