Dan Soder is like that friend who says funny things – great when you’re hanging out, but not really enough to sustain an hour long show. Humorous, yes, but I never found his set laugh-out-loud funny. He’s certainly an engaging storyteller, however, and his material about drugs and being an American was educational for me at least. He also explored the US’s current sensitivities around race, with a story of misinterpretation while living near a mosque. It was when he was covering the darkest subjects that I found Soder the most interesting though, and the revelations around his relationship with his father were touching. His experiences are easy to relate to, though the show itself wasn’t my cup of tea.

Underbelly Bristo Square, until 26 Aug.
tw rating 3/5 | [Chris Lambert]