Chris Brain: A Better Place

Chris Brain was a shy child prone to panic attacks. As he got older, he learnt to self-medicate with alcohol and drugs but soon discovered that the cure may be worse than the condition.

Here, he gets off to a faltering start. When describing the symptoms of a panic attack, he either comes dangerously close to inducing one or is one hell of a talented actor. Later he admits to feeling high just talking about cocaine. Even if these moments are for show, Brain often appears to relive his material more than perform it, leaving it too raw to be funny. Even at his most unrefined his skill as a comedian is evident, with a collection of tightly constructed and frequently surprising jokes.

The show picks up in its last third, yet its structure is in disarray. Brain dislikes using the word "journey" to describe his story, dripping as it is with New Age cod-psychology, but A Better Place needs a more consistent sense of progression. There is a good reason for this: Brain has been performing this show for some time, originally as an uplifting tale in which he found his "better place" and got healthy. Unfortunately, Brain’s personal situation has recently become less utopian. Obviously this has far more important implications, but one side-effect is to ruin his show’s happy ending.

Brain is an immensely likeable man and A Better Place is an act of tremendous bravery. However, at this point in time, perhaps it is better to call it a work in progress.