Knight - or Adam? - has an easy warmth and sharp eye for observation. He’s the kind of person you could chat with until 3am about anything from kebabs to Kant, and he’d be genuinely interested. His commentary on negative space and its permanence proves that the raw material is there, but it needs a little tightening, and a clearer sense of narrative, to really shine.
Too much of the routine doesn’t flow from one anecdote to the next. A story about having crab soup in Vietnam ends awkwardly but also doesn't line up with what follows. Adam might be green to comedy, but Knight isn’t, and finding a thread between crab soup, awkward coffee orders, and his larger aspirations would give the work a firmer backbone. There are a few continuity errors with Adam's life, where at one point he tells us he still lives with his parents but then later states he lives with his girlfriend.
By contrast, the ongoing gag of Adam having to serve customers throughout his act has potential - though the customers' pre-recorded dialogue feels flat. Having audience members read those lines live could add a chaotic, immersive spark. Less successful are the Gangnam Style dance breaks, which interrupt momentum without adding much.
Visually, the Slazenger windbreaker nails Adam's aesthetic, but the black sunglasses which he wears for most of the show make it tough to connect; it’s hard to laugh with someone whose eyes are hidden away.
In its current form, Adam Snakes: No Experience Necessary wobbles between promise and polish, but Knight’s mix of personability and wit makes it easy to imagine where this could go. If he can wipe the froth and stir it right, then Adam Snakes might serve up the laughs just as smoothly as he serves up his coffees.
SHOW DETAILS
Venue: The Motley Bauhaus, 118 Elgin St, Carlton
Season: until 5 October | 6pm
Duration: 60 minutes
Tickets: $26 Full | $22 Conc
Bookings: Melbourne Fringe Festival
Image Credit: Taylor Penrose
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