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James Meehan – Class Act

 
Simon Fearn Review by Simon Fearn 3 Published: 11 Aug 2016 Just the Tonic at The Tron Show Dates: 4 Aug 2016-28 Aug 2016

There is always plenty of political comedy at the Fringe, but rarely as passionate and earnest as James Meehan’s Class Act. Delivered with anger and self-effacing humour, Meehan explores classism in an honest and direct fashion.

It’s impossible not to be on side with Meehan and share in his outrage

Meehan has an intense yet affable stage presence, and his material never pulls any punches. We learn that 90 people a month die after being declared fit for work, along with some information about Andrew Lloyd-Weber’s voting habits in the House of Lords that will make you think twice about your love for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. This is all pretty bleak stuff, and Meehan never pretends otherwise.

The jokes were worth waiting for when they did come – the humour was often sharp and on-point, and blended well with the often serious tone. Stereotypes about racism in the working class lent Meehan some good gags, but he was also honest about his sympathy for the disenfranchised who were schooled in their hostility to foreigners by the media. A dialogue with himself about self-doubt was also very funny, but with more than a hint of sadness.

It’s impossible not to be on side with Meehan and share in his outrage, and there was a great communal feel about the gig. Things never felt preachy because Meehan came across as so genuine. All of what he has to say is genuinely important and needs to be heard, especially when correcting some persistent misconceptions about the working class in the tabloids.

There are funnier stand-ups at this year’s Fringe, but Meehan stands out because of how passionately he believes in what he is saying. His political fervour is softened by his ability to laugh at himself and his likeable stage presence, all making this an enjoyable exploration of an important topic.

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The Blurb:

The debut hour from Fosters and Chortle Award-winning comedian and member of Gein's Family Giftshop and Funz and Gamez, James Meehan. A show about classism, standing up for yourself and the realities of being a working class man in a middle class industry. So you're pretty much guaranteed that some of the show will be legitimately lowbrow. 'Refreshingly nonchalant' (Time Out). 'Razor sharp timing and cutting northern wit' (ShortCom.co.uk).