Not many shows put you in a dilemma from the off but with Knocker you have to make an instant decision whether to like Edmond or not. After all, he is part of that relentless marketing machine that desperately tries to invade every moment of our lives. On the other hand, he is here to entertain and you also can’t help but feel a little bit of compassion for someone who sheds their dignity everyday in the hopes of making some sort of honest living.
By and large, Edmond makes the decision easy for us, as he is almost instantly entertaining and likeable, even though a lot of his humour is largely self-effacing. However, it is not his persona that turns out to be the issue here but the show itself.
It would be unfair to suggest that there aren’t some really good ideas and precepts at work in Knocker, as moments of brilliance raise their heads from time to time, but there is just something missing. In fact, it is probably the opposite that is true, as there seems to be just too much material to fit into such a short show. This is partially due to Edmond’s amusing adlibbing and rambling offshoots but it also seems as though he just hasn’t trimmed down the material enough.
There is no denying that Edmond is a genuinely funny man, as he continuously sends ripples of laughter round the audience but you can only feel that it would be much better to see him in a show that works properly.
3/5
Richard Biggs
