Review: Dan Wye Am I Sam Smith?

What must happen when you look so alike to a celebrity that you get stopped on the street for photos, to have all the annoyances of fame without any of the upsides? Well, in the case of Dan Wye, it serves as a springboard for a comedy show that explores the highs and lows of modern queer life with a show that mixes real insights and laughs.

First off, it is actually quite amazing how similar Dan and Sam look. Sure, presentation and aesthetic is half the work but the believability of the show’s premise does add to the hilarity of the stories. Sam – sorry Dan – recounts stories of when they have been mistaken in places like the STD clinic and when worse for wear in chicken shops that really deliver the laughs from the Pleasance Bunker audience. 

Yet the case of mistaken identity is really just one small part of Dan's wider show. They touch on subjects like modern dating life, partying, and London life. There is sometimes too much similarity to the messy, ‘random’ millennial life act that is seen in shows like Fleabag, or as Dan calls it ‘tragic but iconic’. Gags can also seem like rehashings of the TikTokification of humour with jokes about IBS, moustache tattoos and undiagnosed ADHD seeming like something we could find in a few swipes on our For You Page. 

Yet Dan has a real skill for feeding on the audience’s energy with a quick wit and sharp tongue that adds authenticity to the show. Dan also performs as the Fringe favourite Séayoncé – a drag queen and cabaret with a skill for ghost whispering which they are showing at Assembly – and it is refreshing to see a peek behind the curtain of this seasoned performer in this rawer, more personal set.