Life’s short, let’s get to it.

Will Danes is very funny and I would like him to make me laugh again in future.

I came to this performance without preconception or real prior knowledge (sort of the same thing). I left this performance, hotter than the sun even though it was in a cellar (humid Manchester, come on now, enough), but ultimately full of glee. Glee and a moral conundrum – my inner soul’s knee jerk reaction is to gatekeep new (for me) comedic discoveries. Why am I like this? I don’t know but I’ve been doing it since I watched the original series of Vic Reeves Big Night Out and claimed it as my own. But I guess by committing this review to my blog and outside world (hi mum), I’m setting down evidence when I want to play ‘who found him first Top Trumps’ (horror show that I am).

Darkly funny musical cabaret from debut performer Will Danes.

Original comic songs, theatrical storytelling and cutting satire to cover topics from performative politics and masculinity to relationships, religion, billionaires, and the struggle to appear remotely well-adjusted.

Inspired by performers such as Tom Lehrer and Flanders and Swann, while shaped by Danes’ background as a classical singer and guitarist, the show swings between the elegant and the deeply unhinged.

Despite the title, Presented by Mental Illness is not a confessional one-man play about diagnoses. Instead, Danes uses his experience of mental illness as part of a broader comic voice — one that mixes sincerity, theatricality and joyful bad taste.

Expect fiendish rhyme with lyrical melodies, oversharing, sharp humour, silliness and surprising warmth.

Ok so I had a promise of what to expect, but still no preconception. No proof of concept. But the show blurb annoyingly uses some words and phrases that I want to pass off as my own as I like them. Instead I’ll show support for them and repeat.

Will Danes and his songs do have fiendish rhyme. They do have joyful bad taste. The show does indeed swing between the elegant and the deeply unhinged.

We’re presented with a gentleman who gives matinee idol. David Tomlinson, if you like. A scholar with a cut glass accent, a debonair demeanour, a consummate professional who between songs tunes his instrument with care, with consideration, and, when breaking into song, adopts the face of sincerity, an earnest expression as he reveals the voice of an angel with a truly impressive vocal range.

This matinee idol, this David Tomlinson (oh c’mon Herbie? Mary Poppins?), also gives us some of the most bitingly funny observations, lyrics and satire you could hope for.

With songs and topics from the opening ‘I’m more left-wing than you’, to what it is to be a billionaire (“I’m a paedophile” – the lyric we’ve all been waiting for), being monogamous in a polyamorous relationship where you want to brutally murder the one ruining everything, to having social anxiety and going to a party when you’d rather be at home with your cat (his is Dave, for me, it was Bryan), and the ultimate antidote to saving the world – Burn It Down (you guys, he’s kidding…).

Along with an anecdote about a therapy dog at a bi-polar circle meeting, and the strangely sweet yet still funny ‘I’m a Catch’, I was there for all of it. If you’ve a penchant for musical mirth (sorry, I sacrificed dignity for alliteration once again), a wicked sense of humour and an open mind and heart (I’ve purposely not mentioned some of the most funniest, most darkly depraved lyrics as I’ve got a family-focused blog post coming up after this and, you know), check him out.

GM Fringe is the gift that keeps giving and the ultimate introductory agency when you’re looking for new discoveries to make you laugh, cry, think and feel.

You’re welcome comedy fans – but remember, I saw him first (apart from all those who saw him before me, but they don’t count).

For more of an idea of just what I’m talking about, visit this taster reel on Insta.

And to check out even more of what’s on during his year’s fringe, visit https://greatermanchesterfringe.co.uk/.