REVIEW: NIGEL OSNER: STILL TICKING! At Etcetera Theatre 12 – 14 August 2022 /Camden Fringe

‘… tells a good yarn and gives excellent characterisations … there’s a rock star sensuality to much of Osner’s accomplished cabaret turns’ ★★★★

In January 2021 Nigel Osner nearly died when a routine operation went seriously wrong, leading to open heart surgery and a damaged lung. After four days in an induced coma, he had to learn to walk again. A stalwart performer both in London and Edinburgh, he is back with another new show, and some of his favourite crowd-pleasing cabaret vignettes.

At the beginning of the show Osner sings about his agent telling him not to talk about sex, but it crept in anyhow: Whether it was in the song about the man who was trying to keep his youthful appearance by having a lot of work done to his face, the vampire who has lost his appetite, the woman who only had herself to please, or the owl who only liked the November moon.  There is a rock star sensuality to much of Osner performance, himself mostly wearing a leather jacket and looking, singing, and dancing the part.

Osner is undoubtedly a very talented performer. He tells a good yarn and gives excellent characterisations: these must surely be real people he’s met in his former life as a practising barrister or during his employment at the Ministry of Justice, or his career as a performer.   As for the owl, he must have studied the creature minutely, he’s so inside its body. Furthermore, Osner has beautiful tones to his voice, and sings powerfully (albeit without much vocal range, it is gorgeous to hear). 

The only slight disappointment was the curtailment of the vampire song. Osner seemed anxious not to lose his audience with too much detail, but personally I wanted to hear about some of the necks he struggled with.

Osner’s show is pure entertainment and yet perhaps we do learn a little, not least that older people are more confident and are bolder. Osner is the perfect example of this.

NIGEL OSNER: STILL TICKING! At Etcetera Theatre 12 – 14 August 2022 at 5.30pm /Camden Fringe

https://camden.ssboxoffice.com/events/still-ticking/

Credits:

Keep off sex - BB Cooper, recorded by Tom Wakeley

 The tale of Reverend Jame -  no music

Hello suckers - Scarlett Deva Antaloczy, recorded by Steve Somerset

 So many necks – Nigel Osner, arranged and recorded by Tom Wakeley

Don’t label me - Mole, recorded by Tom Wakeley (who is Mole!)

Too young to stay in, too old to go out! - Nigel Osner, arranged and recorded by Ays Kura

November moon for owls - BB Cooper, arranged and recorded by Steve Somerset

The last shreds of youth - no music

Botox blues - Steve Somerset, recorded by him too

There’s only me to love - Nigel Osner, arranged and recorded by Tom Carradine

Seize the day - Sammy Fain, arranged and recorded by Tom Carradine



Lyrics and monologues - Nigel Osner

REVIEWED BY HEATHER JEFFERY