2011 Edinburgh Fringe
Alex Horne review
Perhaps best known as the multimedia man of the We Need Answers triumvirate, Alex Horne brings his new concept show, Seven Years in the Bathroom, to Edinburgh, and boy does he know how to come up with a concept. Attempting to recreate the lifetime of an average man, he condenses those 79 years into his hour long show by both exploring and performing everyday activities. This ambitious task allows Horne to tackle universal themes, which he does with mixed results but in his own unique style.
The preparation that has gone into this show is evident and impressive. Horne's use both of the props scattered about the stage and the Powerpoint presentation (Keynote to be precise) are likely to be the most skilful you will see at the Fringe. Each is used with a professional precision that elevates the show beyond a standard hour of stand-up. While these elements add greatly to the performance, they also prevent it from reaching its potential and distract from the impact of the overall story. Interspersed throughout the hour we hear snippets about Horne's Uncle Joe and his pet ostrich, and although this tale has a fairly poignant ending, the scrappiness of the exposition means the finale doesn't pack the punch it could have. The audience just isn't given enough of an opportunity to care about Uncle Joe, despite Horne's best efforts.
That said, Horne's audience interaction is second to none - while other comedians are making dull and predictable jokes about Facebook, Horne is finding audience members and adding them as friends during the show. The audience's involvement is crucial to the flow and many of the biggest laughs come from this, such as the forced phone call by an audience member to a friend using Horne's peculiar script. He plays with the audience very well, teasing them in a way that manages not to be cruel and his demeanour encourages willing participation.
Horne introduces the show by saying it is going to be 'fun'. That may well be where the problem lies. It is immensely fun but it is only occasionally funny. He has all the skills of an inspirational lecturer exploring a subject in a unique way and making it seem instantly interesting but ultimately, regardless of how enjoyable the hour is, there are just not enough laughs.
Alex Horne: Seven Years in the Bathroom listing