Sam Morrison: Duck comedy review – Silly scientific enquiry
Tackling natural curiosities and the inner workings of his mind, Sam Morrison’s hour is both outlandish and good humoured
Did you know that ducks have spiral vaginas? That flatworms have both penises and vaginas, or that hyenas have protruding, 8-inch clitorises? Sam Morrison does. In his latest hour of bizarre stand-up, the LA-based comic turns to science in an attempt to answer some of the big questions that have been plaguing his mind.
Morrison’s last show, Sugar Daddy, was critically acclaimed. Written after the passing of his partner, Morrison launched a full-scale investigation into the reasons behind his attraction to older men. In the years since his boyfriend’s death, Sam has been suffering from fairly severe panic attacks which, on top of ADHD and type 1 diabetes diagnoses, have left him looking to nature to learn why his brain works the way it does. It sounds like a pretty heavy outing, but the resulting show is far from it. Across a frenzied 60 minutes, Morrison reels off outlandish animal facts and regales the audience with anecdotes, all of which loosely support his theory that god is, in fact, a duck.
Duck is not the show for anyone looking for snappy comedy from someone who’s done Live At The Apollo or Mock The Week. It is meandering and at times vaguely shambolic. But Morrison’s innate sense of comedic timing means the long-winded nature of the performance only adds to its humour. Duck feels impossible to look away from.
Sam Morrison: Duck, Gilded Balloon Teviot, until 31 August, 5.30pm.