John Hastings: Marked from the Start

Born three months prematurely, John Hastings has had dyspraxia all of his life. He draws on this and his family in a laughter-filled hour of storytelling and interaction. Beautifully paced, his family stories unfurl, replete with asides and deft punchlines. Moreover, he is unafraid to be drawn away to the front row and add extra layers and laughs to the tales.

His material is skillfully chosen, managing to be both generally relatable and distinctly personal – his list of what makes a father is a delightful case in point. 

The quiet overarching message of Marked from the Start is that Hastings is "different", from his family, from his schoolmates and from the majority of the general public. Part of this is his dyspraxia, which as well as being a hindrance is also the source of some charming accidents. But it is mostly because of his articulate, educated style. Marked From The Start is a beautifully crafted hour, calmly revelling in the wonder of being unique while skilfully weaving in a whole load of gags.