Review: Ben Kochan: Nice Boy Seeks Kind Audience

A nice boy who fails to charm the audience

★★
comedy review (adelaide) | Read in About 1 minute
32414 large
Ben Kochan
Published 07 Mar 2019

On the first cold night of this Adelaide Fringe, Ben Kochan is made to work hard in front of a small audience, but sadly his material warrants a cold shoulder. Kochan admits during Nice Boy Seeks Kind Audience that his show is more “funny sentences” than good jokes and it’s an apt description.  

Kochan’s standup covers relatable material, from internet wormholes to embarrassing sex talks from the parents. Unfortunately his jokes aren’t punchy enough to be one-liners, and the lack of narrative in the show means there’s nothing really tying all these loose threads together. A table full of props are a constant distraction as the audience waits for these to be utilised, but as Kochan loses track of time not all are presented and it seems a missed opportunity to engage the crowd. 

Nice Boy Seeks Kind Audience has a sense of silliness to it that could – and should – be charming, but sadly needs a lot more work.