In a festival containing a number of goat titled shows, Michael Connell – Acting The Goat actually had some material on the creatures (which was 90% more than the other show that I saw!). In actuality the title was about messing around and being silly which Michael did do through various hilarious tales and assorted jokes. In a conceptual arc for the show (after being accused of merely telling jokes) he included some wonderful physical and musical silliness into the mix and some wacky facts gleaned from a book on goat husbandry.
Michael’s comedy has always been of universal appeal and this show was no exception. No cussing and controversy free material ensured that his performance catered to all comers. When a few dark jokes crept into the set it was interesting to see him play a little against type, however the response was mixed. A few mildly risqué lines got the appropriate giggles while the darker lines were met with shocked silence; perhaps he was straying too far too soon?
The show was staged simply with Michael, a mic and a side table for his various small props. He tried to do some interesting things with the lighting design but it was very odd having serious mood lighting as he quoted funny lines from his book about goats.
Aside from the aforementioned slips the show was a rock solid set of jokes and stories that amused the crowd immensely. Although he sometimes unnecessarily tried to go for another laugh at the end of a joke, his timing and pacing were generally spot on. Michael certainly loves call backs as there were many in this show, some even appearing in the subsequent routine. This certainly kept the crowd on their toes but it came dangerously close to being overused.
When a comic tells their audience “I don’t really know how to end a show…” things are either going to meander until the audience leaves or they are going to surprise you by knocking your socks off. Unfortunately Michael’s conclusion fell into the former camp as he tried a moralistic summation of the show that didn’t go for a big final laugh. He even attempted a sympathy ploy (which has been handled better by others) that only came off due to an audience who didn’t mind playing along.
Despite my nitpicking this was a thoroughly entertaining show. He kept everyone amused and enthralled, so much so that the hour just flew by.
Visit the Fringe website for booking details.