In an accidentally intimate setting, James charms his way through a collection of stories about the life and times of a nice guy from a rough place.

His gags were sometimes hackneyed but always amusing. As a testament to his talent, James managed to make use of a small crowd by involving each audience member in his storytelling, introducing himself to everyone and cleverly weaving them in at appropriate junctions in the show. The result of this approach was an atmosphere that made the audience feel as if they were a group of mates meeting at the pub for a pint, listening to that one slightly peculiar but hilarious mate.

A gifted storyteller, James is at his comic best as he delves into nostalgia, delighting us with familiar observations of family life. James illustrates his storytelling with perfectly executed impressions, and often the characters themselves become the punch lines. His relaxed stage presence and patent likeability pulled him through lulls in the performance which were perhaps due to an undeservingly small crowd.

James is intelligent, cheerful and clever and though his material did not always hit the target, his performance was wholeheartedly charming. The audience all left wishing we had a mate as whimsical and acutely observant as James.