Jason Cook – Broken review

Although a lot of things in Jason Cook’s life may be broken, the one thing that remains firmly intact is his comic talent. The award-winning creator and star of cult hit ‘Hebburn’ has had a hard year and it shows.

He lays his shit bare on the stage about how hard he’s found it adjusting to life as a father and the impact that the intense workload of creating a TV series has had on his life and relationships. When the show was cancelled Cook had a breakdown and is in the process of rebuilding and reimagining both himself and his career.

Although the show is full of Cook’s trademark rapid fire gags and ridiculously funny and well-crafted set pieces, there’s a fragility to him and his performance which is both touching and, at times, difficult to watch. He admits he hasn’t found a way to make his anxiety attacks funny yet and he’s right, he hasn’t. But that’s okay, not everything has to be funny.

There are, however, more than enough laughs throughout to keep any audience happy, but there’s also enough humanity on show to allow true empathy to occur. It’s not his best show and in many ways it feels a little like him at the moment; a work-in-progress. But it is brave, undoubtedly funny and moving.

‘Jason Cook – Broken’ is at the Pleasance Dome, 5.40pm