Josh Sharp's 'ta-da!' Show: A Fusion of PowerPoint Comedy and Personal Trauma
In the vibrant heart of London's Soho Theatre, Josh Sharp's off-Broadway import ta-da! is captivating audiences with a unique blend of modern standup techniques. The show, which runs until 28 February, masterfully combines two dominant trends in contemporary comedy: PowerPoint-driven humour and narratives drawn from personal trauma. Over 75 minutes, Sharp, a former child magician from New York, projects an astonishing 2,000 slides, creating a meticulously scripted yet seemingly spontaneous performance that challenges traditional comedic boundaries.
The Dual Nature of Sharp's Performance
From the outset, Sharp foregrounds the technological aspect of his act, using a clicker to display a barrage of "hellos," "hi's," and "welcomes" in massive letters on an upstage screen. This frenetic presentation style sets the stage for a virtuosic feat, hinting at a deeper connection to his generation's habit of double-screening entertainment. However, the core of the show quickly shifts to a poignant coming-out story, interwoven with his mother's terminal cancer diagnosis and his own near-death experience. Sharp cleverly ropes in concepts like Schrödinger's cat and quantum immortality theory to explore themes of existence and performance, blurring the lines between being alive and dead, or on stage and on screen.
Balancing Technology and Emotion
In a show self-aware of its status as confessional performance—or "theatre with an r-e," as Sharp puts it—he admits that the high-tech whizzery serves to mask the clichés of discussing parental bereavement and queer self-discovery on stage. While the constant underscoring, echoing, and backchat on screen can sometimes distract from the emotional weight of his narrative, the story itself remains powerful and impactful. Sharp's endearing presence shines through, with solid stand-alone bits that include humorous takes on urban umbrella usage and a memorable "weenie massage" anecdote, all delivered with amusingly arch Gen-Z stylings.
A Show with Heart and Humour
Despite occasional tensions between the PowerPoint gimmick and the emotional rites-of-passage, ta-da! delivers a compelling combination of super-slick slideshow theatrics, big laughs, and a heart-on-a-stick story. The show's affecting tenderness towards Sharp's parents adds depth, making it a worthwhile experience for theatregoers. At Soho Theatre, this performance represents pretty big bang for your buck, offering both entertainment and introspection in equal measure.
