Denial Review

There’s no denying it, Prateek puts on a good show at Midlands Fringe

Lets face it, live stand up comedy is a bit of a gamble, whether they are familiar or new faces. The stakes are getting very expensive these days and we take our comedy serious. We wonder whether they are naturally funny or just good at delivering scripts.  Will we share their sense of humour or opinions? Will the material be new and engaging or a stale rehash of tropes? 

Denial, performed by Prateek Kohli, was the penultimate show for the eponymous first Midlands Fringe at the Lych Gate Tavern in Queen Square, Wolverhampton. Upstairs in the cosy traditional beamed establishment, Steve Pottinger of Poets, Prattlers, and Pandemonialists introduced the 6pm Pay-As-You-Feel stand-up comedy show to a medium-sized audience. 

The blurb promised everyday absurdities, including historical and political aspects of India, US and UK where Prateek has lived and performed. The blurb continues – “Prateek is an upcoming Indian comic, performing at top comedy clubs, with awards placements and reviews.”

Prateek would tell you himself he isn’t the best at script delivery but he certainly made us laugh while doing it. He took us on an informed, interesting journey around the world, using absurd logic with his endearing self-effacing humour laced with sharp insights into language and traditions from a seldom heard perspective. Prateek’s transitions from humorous observations of life in the UK to the shame and grief of the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947 were both unexpected and thought-provoking. The trauma that impacted his own family and left a scar gave it relevance. He highlighted characters from that historical stage in an unfamiliar critical light. We visited Brexit, Shakespeare, sex, candle-snuffers and weaved our way through life, death and grief together. 

Prateek brought the drama and comedy, the light and dark to the Black Country from India via the US and London. Judging from the laughs from the punters, it was a win-win!  

Karran Collings