Where should we draw the line at dark humour? Geoffrey Asmus walks the tightrope with American confidence; he’s hilarious in a way that makes you laugh at the floor for fear of being seen by, perhaps, a parent or a teacher. Great fun in good company, but fit for a UK audience? It’s certainly subjective.
Deep in the belly of Monkey Barrel, Geoffrey Asmus has launched his Fringe show Patriautism to, in his perspective, slightly reluctant UK audiences. However, this is absolutely a show worth seeing if you’re comfortable treading the line right up to breaking point, and have humour rooted along the darker spectrum.
Three stars may seem harsh, for sure, yet this is absolutely the mark of a show worth seeing if you have the appetite for it. It is funny, and I can say that with confidence – Asmus is an undoubtedly talented comedian. Yet, in a world of intense social change and political unrest, it occasionally left a bad taste in the mouth to laugh at other’s misfortune. It takes a lot of skill to create good comedy regarding minority groups and historical tragedy, and respect holds a large share in the success. Geoffrey holds the potential to grasp this, however perhaps Patriautism is currently best left to audiences other than the, er, outspoken left wing students.
It felt jarring to come from the carefully spoken environment curated by political activism and media accountability into a stand-up act with very little barriers, but perhaps that’s one of the main goals of Patriautism. Perhaps by removing these barriers, Asmus reaches towards an angle of comedy that could ignite real reflection and change against the rise of the right. Perhaps.
For now, however, I would encourage our regular readers of Brig to give this one a miss – especially considering that Asmus failed to chat to any of the women in the front row. Are we still invisible to you, or are you aware that your comedy holds the potential to offend? Some greater clarity on his political stance and perspective on the modern world might give audiences more belief in the politics of Asmus – he does declare to be left-wing, and this shines through more as the show goes on, however please, include the women and I’ll give you four stars – maybe.
Patriautism: The Where, When, and How
Patriautism is running in Monkey Barrel – MB4 from the 5 – 30 August (not 17 or 24) at 7.50pm. You can book your tickets here if you’re wanting a good laugh whilst leaving a few morals at the door.
Enjoyed this review? You can read more of Brig‘s growing Edinburgh Fringe coverage here.
Featured Image Credit: Mike Bryk
Journalism student at the University of Stirling & BRAW Magazine editor 24/25 and 25/26 🙂
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