2011 Edinburgh Fringe
Wil Hodgson review
After a slightly disappointing offering in 2010, this year Wil Hodgson's show is excellent. Last year he focused mainly on objects found at an Edinburgh car park sale, but for 2011 he has gone back to what he does best, telling personal stories about his life, Care Bears and Chippenham.
Although it does depress me slightly that a performer of his capabilities is stuck hidden away in Stand 4, I can't help but feel this is a more natural environment for him in comparison to The Caves, which was simply too 'mainstream' for this truly alternative act. The Stand is perfect for him, with audiences expecting the unconventional. Through his brilliant, monotonous fast spoken streams of consciousness, Hodgson communicates a strong opinion and standpoint. Be that against racists or the quality of commercial cider.
With many performers, criticism is to be delivered when they are unsure of who they really are on stage. This is a problem that I don't think has existed for Hodgson since birth. A large amount of respect is given to him for knowing exactly who he is (even though his garb is somewhat less extravagant than it has been). His point-of-view remains the same no matter what, and there is no chance of him pandering to the mainstream or changing his act.
This set isn't as strong as his early stuff of which he won the Perrier for, and a little more structure to the piece would add a feeling of completeness. Despite this, all fans of true alternative comedy would be wise to experience an hour with this incredible storyteller. He won't leap around the stage or insult your appearance, but he's got funny things to say and he says them well.