Simon Caine: Every Room Becomes a Panic Room When You Overthink Enough

Review by Steve Amey

It takes real comedic skill to find a humorous link between overthinking, the Ghost Busters Ecto-1, awkward threesomes and cake! But Simon found it and used it well as a clever thread throughout his comedy act.

Simons aptly titled show hit the mark as we saw a man, a phone and a nervous disposition all come together to present a funny take on normal everyday events. The real mark of a good comedian is taking those mundane moments, mix in some dysphoria and throw in a dysfunctional viewpoint to produce a unique and funny take on life.

Audience engagement was high. Simon included his spectators in every aspect of the routine. Sometimes he would break out of routine to have a chat. This all added to the show’s success, which made Simon even more personable and helped us get inside his head – which I add was at times a satisfyingly scary place!

The anxiety-laden, socially awkward stories kept me laughing all through the act. The key here was I could relate and, observing the audience’s reactions, they held similar views. 

At the conclusion of the show Simon offered the audience a button pin with a reminder of one of the key joke threads of the night. Mine proudly sits with my other keepsakes as a reminder of a good evening. I would see Simon again and I will look for his show next year. Four out of five stars.

mindshare will be posting reviews of shows with mental health themes on our blog and social media channels throughout Adelaide Fringe. Stay tuned for more reflections from contributors living with mental health challenges and/or working in the sector.