Review – Jack Tandy in Jack Tandy Forever

Jack Tandy warmly invites you into his show, weaving through the seated audience to deliver handshakes and an earnest look in the eye. Jack invites you in as he wrestles with the question – what is narcissism – how many times is too many times to have your name in the title of your show? But Jack’s story is far from narcissistic; he spins a tale both poignant and full of pathos of a dysfunctional family, his ‘passion for aquatic safety’, and unfortunate dalliances with the law.

Jack’s saga is bitter-sweet. Wilful misinterpretation of familial indifference and momentary drunken incarceration manifesting itself as an act of grand political injustice reveal a troubled teen who just wants to be loved.

Jack deftly alternates between dark revelations and lighter banter as he retraces his steps along the downward spiral into the darker points of his youth. You trust Jack – partly through his reassurances that it’s ‘ok to laugh’ as he reveals misfortune after misfortune, but also because his personal experiences are far too ridiculous to be anything other than true.

The show incorporates a merry array of sound effects, musical interludes, cheesy puns and face paint, but what stays with you after the show are the moments of candid honesty. Go see Jack Tandy Forever as nothing good ever lasts that long.