Joe Bor: A Room with a Jew

If you think comedian Joe Bor’s title pun is groan-worthy, you should hear some of the hilariously awful alternatives. He reels them off during this hour-long free show. It’s ironic, then, that while he’s chosen a name, his set never really decides what it’s trying to do.

Armed with a pen and a whiteboard divided into "Jewish" and "Non-Jewish"—helpfully illustrated by cartoon depictions of anatomy with more or less skin—his announced intention is to see just how faithfully Jewish he is. But this never really materialises into something with a point. The board quickly feels like an afterthought.

What we get instead are some amusing, lighthearted anecdotes about Bor's trials as a Jewish kid, neurotic mothers and his adventures with caricaturists. His material steers clear of anything political or properly controversial. His beats are familiarly cheeky – as you might expect, there are puns about noses and money.

What Bor is really good at is embracing his crowd. Possibly as a result of his TV warm-up work for The Graham Norton Show and Mock the Week, he’s easy-going and chatty, striking up a relaxed rapport with everyone he talks to. The best parts of this show come from the bounce between us and the stage.

If Bor could match his audience interaction skills with more substance, this could be great. His current material is fun but feels underfed. However, if you’d enjoy just spending an hour in the company of a witty, down-to-earth guy, you won’t go wrong here.