Tom Craine: Thoughts On Love (By a Man With None of the Answers)
Tom Craine: Thoughts On Love (By a Man With None of the Answers)
by Ruth Thomson
Affable English comedian Tom Craine has titled his show ’Thoughts on Love by a Man with None of the Answers’. Needless to say he’s single, not very good at relationships, and even worse at the horrendous concept that is dating. In the small space that is the Pleasance Bunker No.1 (as roomy as it sounds) his sweaty well-meaning awkwardness is very much to the fore. He kicks off with some funny enough rumination about his extremely middle class parents (going so far as to playing the voicemail message he received on his last birthday – his dad having to be reminded of the purpose of the call) before getting to the pivotal moment when he unexpectedly becomes a dating columnist (‘Sex and the Single Guy’) for teen magazine Cosmopolitan.
Having shown us said magazine complete with his groomed and no doubt airbrushed portrait he goes on to explain his increasing reluctance, as letters from needy teenagers arrive in the post, to be in this role of adviser and ultimately to be part of the industry that feeds on peoples panic at the prospect of being alone. I know what you’re thinking – hilarious.
As likable and amusing as Craine is his attempt at reflecting on these issues throughout the show, and endeavouring to come to a poignant conclusion unfortunately doesn’t really hit the mark. He’s not quite funny enough, and despite his furrowed brow and the dimmed lights as the show ends, his insights just aren’t quite insightful enough to be convincing.
