The prospect of going to an educational show is a little daunting, even if it is in the name of comedy, as the thought of paying tuition fees is galling. However, they say education is a privilege and this is certainly true of McClelland’s history lessons.
Built around a faux lecture series, this introductory class fills in the history of pirates and dispels the preconceptions built up by the media. The lecture itself is interesting enough but when it is delivered with McClelland’s manic zeal it is pure dynamite. His passion would make any subject enjoyable and it is particularly entertaining when he gets onto his favourite subjects: Henry Morgan and destroying an 8-year-old “genius”.
Funnily enough, despite his eccentricities, McClelland actually manages to come across as genuine scholar. Admittedly, he is more of a ‘down-with-the-kids ain’t-I-cool?’ lecturer than a venerable professor but he has an air about him that convinces you that you’re actually learning something. This is helped no end by his wonderful bouts of audience participation and the dodgy projector that refuses to behave itself.
It is rare occasion when you leave a show excited, entertained and educated but McClelland achieves this with aplomb. The man is a genius and it’s just a shame he’s not doing the full lecture series.
5/5
Richard Biggs
