I was unclear to what extent Bennet Kavanagh was surprised by his audience’s unfamiliarity with the 2006 film ‘Crank’. He had a musical recounting of the plot ready to go, but the muted audience response seemed slightly to wrong-foot him. This ‘Crank’-themed musical stand-up hour is Bennet’s Fringe debut, showcasing obvious talent but making a few avoidable errors. Gags that hinged on ‘getting’ a film reference fell to confused silence. Certain comedic veins, such as how the lyrics to ‘Thriller’ describe a horror film, weren’t rich enough for such extensive mining. Kavanagh is a capable performer (I certainly couldn’t play a piano dangling around my thighs) who has the potential to make a great show. This isn’t quite it.

Underbelly Bristo Square, until 22 Aug.
tw rating 2/5 | [Jon Stapley]