Simon Bird: Debrief

Managed about 20 minutes before I had to switch this off. So I can really say is off your looking to get depressed or put yourself to sleep watch this. He probably did this stand up just weeks before the Comedy clubs opened after the pandemic do he wouldn't have to watch people walk out.

He's having a go at observational comedy, but it really doesn't work for him - he's not the most likeable comedian (loosely used) and his brand of observational comedy comes across as off-putting, tone deaf and flat. There is no really effort to connect or humour with the audience who will watch this.

Definitely a fail on his part. At least in the comedy TV series he is in someone else makes sure he at least comes across as a joke and someone to laugh with/at but this really doesn't show off his skills: stand up is definitely not one of them. His other shows where other people wrote his material comes across better.

This stand up does just makes him sound bitter. I can't work out if he's trying to be sarcastic at times or if he's being serious.

The delivery of the entire routine without any real kind of passion, change of tone or any real attempt at humour makes this for a very long 45 minutes.

He either needs to have an audience which will feedback to him how he's coming across (doing his first stand up in an empty theatre comes across as a total cop out so he doesn't face an audience (if anyone did turn up) who will give him cues on how his material hits or inject some kind of passion or change of emotion into his routine.

He slams better and more experienced comedians for adjusting their routine with the feedback of the audience, which is how you grow as a comedian, connect with your audience and entertain them. If a joke doesn't work they'll make it better or drop it. I don't think he understands how much work and effort really goes into stand up, creating material which connects with the audience based on audience participation and feedback. He comes across as only wanting to voice his opinion without any real preparation or interest in entertaining an audience who probably won't pay to see him after watching this.

Unwise idea to perform without an audience and it didn't work. It was so unfunny I unfortunately had to turn it off.

I think Simon is a good comedy actor but I'm not sure about his stand-up.

I quite rather enjoyed the rawness of the performance, laid bare and most importantly the lack of laughter allows you to find the laughs naturally for yourself and not mindlessly being influenced by an audience. Bird's ability of mixing his absurd and eclectic flair with impeccable delivery made for a really good watch.