PUDDLES PITY PARTY at the Soho Theatre

★★

“The show is weird, but not weird enough to be interesting, or experimental”

It is a strange experience to be part of an audience which is half fervent superfans and half baffled and bored.

Puddles Pity Party seems to be quite well known in the US. Puddles (Mike Geier) appeared on America’s Got Talent and has some serious viewing figures on YouTube.

Puddles, in full white clown get up, sings a series of late ‘80s and early ‘90s pop rock covers, accompanied by short, often comic films on AV. These vary in style, though not in length or musical tone. My favourite was a slow-motion film of a glass of milk falling over (that was early enough in the show that I thought there might be meaning to it). There was also one where the video cut just before satisfying moments, like a glass shattering or a party popper going off. This was intercut with a cake being cut into random shapes and a piece of paper being folded over the lines. It was a clever idea, as several of the numbers were, each one was just far too long.

The show is weird, but not weird enough to be interesting, or experimental.

Puddles was at his best when he interacted with the audience. At one point he took everyone’s phones and switched them around, which was quite funny. The problem was nothing was quite funny enough. And some moments were deeply uncomfortable.

Several of his numbers touched on issues of inequality and religion. But they all kept it quite surface value. There was no link between songs, or driving force, or momentum. It was much more of a stylised concert than a show.

That said, some of the audience were really enthusiastic about the performance, even queuing up for a photograph afterwards. So for some, Puddles was a brilliant evening out.

PUDDLES PITY PARTY

★★

Soho Theatre

PUDDLES PITY PARTY at the Soho Theatre

★★

“The show is weird, but not weird enough to be interesting, or experimental”