According to Harry Stachini, we all possess a grenade. A truth we hold onto, constantly wrestling with the idea of pulling the pin, potentially causing great damage to yourself and/or others. It’s a strong idea to build a stand-up set around and along with his jovial and off-the-cuff style of delivery, Stachini has crafted a very good hour of thoughts and musings based around his life and the time that he pulled the pin.
Instantly engaging with his audience, Stachini seems completely at ease of stage. He addresses members of the crowd throughout the set, allowing his material to even more relatable. He often starts with a normal situation and then adds fantastical elements to it, accompanied by the occasional brilliant accent or vocal characterisation, and subtle but effective physical comedy.
Although Stachini’s material can get a little “adult” with subjects including porn versus reality, dogging, and a prolonged and hilarious recounting of the time he had a rectal exam, he never comes anywhere near being offensive. The same goes for his engagement with the audience which contains him gently poking fun at people but never victimising them. At Alphabetti, as he was talking to someone in the front row, they audibly passed wind. This led to a lengthy improvised tangent which brilliantly illustrated Stachini’s quick wit, and which became a running joke that never got old.
Statchini’s relaxed and easy manner makes him an easy person to spend an hour listening to and the time flies by quickly. It’s a tight set that still allows flexibility for him to interact and react to his rapt audience, and the combination of his strong material and his personality make this show an absolute winner. So if you are considering going to see him, why not pull the pin?
Reviewed on 24th May 2025
UK Tour continues until 14th June 2025
