John is manic but with that gentle look in his eye that makes him come across so lovely and sweet you find yourself wanting to hug him. His show this year looked at his adolescence and the awkwardness of him growing up, his school life, and being 28. But before the show kicked off he told us the other day that he only had 8 people in and they all sat close to the stage when one of them let one loose.
There is something almost instantly likeable with John his comedy is gentle and he finds himself in situations that don’t do him any favours. I guess the best way to sum him up is the story he told about before he came up to Edinburgh for the fringe. He had a new flatmate who he bonded with like he never believed it, pretty ace guy from all accounts, and he said he fluffed the goodbye and rather than telling him what he thought and how happy he was that they are now friends, he just manned up and did the double pat on the back. But it wasn’t until he got to Edinburgh when he was unpacking he found a note from this housemate…not going to ruin what he says.
Yet you have to be a certain type of person to be able to have new friends read you so well and that’s John, an incredibly warm and gentle guy. Some of the highlights of his show was dring his time in school, 6th form, his Queen obsession and his DT folder, and being bullied. But the best part of his show was his first experience with a cock ring and the noisy neighbours and the house party from hell.
He paints a picture of a guy put in the most unlikely positions and still managers to come out of it pretty much unscathed. His show as great to be part of, over time you start to feel like he’s the type of best friend you would want, fun to be around, always has a story to tell, and honest. There where two girls in the audience who couldn’t stop laughing and he asked them to come to all his shows.
‘John Robins is a natural and his show came across like it was the easiest thing in the world, a flick back into his past opens up a whole wealth of material from a guy you want to get to know. Kast year Matt Kershen had a show that was as successful, what makes them stand out is they are genuine, their is every now and then a slight hint of bitterness that thinking retrospectively can bring. John is amazing!’
