COLIN HOULT: COLIN at the Soho Theatre
★★★★
“a beautifully constructed show, every chaotic choice pays off”
Colin Hoult was named after his father, and so he grew up as little (likkle) Colin. This is the springboard for a warm and moving show that muses on the language of neurodiversity, communication and parenting.
Colin has ADHD and mirroring that, his show jumps around at a frenetic pace. He leaps from a Christmas in 1986, to his son’s dinosaur impressions, to the Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner. But it is a beautifully constructed show, every chaotic choice pays off and it ties back to a message of hope and kindness.
Colin is at his best when he impersonates the weird and wonderful members of his family. His character comedy is sublime and with a few words he has the audience in stitches – whether it’s a 15-year-old who has the sincerity of Sean Bean, or an uncle who pronounces ‘theatre’ like a 1920s radio announcer. These individuals are brought to life in vivid technicolour. He effortlessly evokes the specificity of where he grew up, conjuring a portrait of a place and an era from thin air. He tells us about how he was raised in the shadow of Mapperly Hospital, a mental health institution in Nottingham and unpicks the complexities of that as a neurodiverse individual.
Some of his stuff about ADHD and living in Brighton feels a bit more familiar but Colin’s distinct perspective does give him an edge. The number of jokes crammed into this sixty minute show is astonishingly high, and the audience are laughing non-stop throughout.
COLIN HOULT: COLIN at the Soho Theatre
Reviewed on 24th September 2024
by Auriol Reddaway
Photography by Ed Moore
Previously reviewed at this venue:
VITAMIN D | ★★★★ | September 2024
THE DAO OF UNREPRESENTATIVE BRITISH CHINESE EXPERIENCE | ★★★★ | June 2024
BABY DINOSAUR | ★★★ | June 2024
JAZZ EMU | ★★★★★ | June 2024
BLIZZARD | ★★★★ | May 2024
BOYS ON THE VERGE OF TEARS | ★★★★ | April 2024
SPENCER JONES: MAKING FRIENDS | ★★★★ | April 2024
DON’T. MAKE. TEA. | ★★★★★ | March 2024
PUDDLES PITY PARTY | ★★ | March 2024
LUCY AND FRIENDS | ★★★★★ | February 2024
AMUSEMENTS | ★★★★ | February 2024
WISH YOU WEREN’T HERE | ★★★ | February 2024
COLIN HOULT
COLIN HOULT
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