The George Santayana quote comes to mind when assessing Matt Green’s outlook in Bleeding Funny: that “those who do not remember their past are condemned to repeat their mistakes”. Recounting embarrassing episodes from both his childhood and recent past, our act puts forward the case that he’s no better at avoiding humiliation now than he used to be.
For Green, reconnecting with his embarrassment through onstage self-depreciation is designed to be therapeutic. It’s a sound concept, though in practice it’s hard to believe he’s either haunted or pursued by shame any more, and any more than anyone else is. Revealingly, not once does the audience cringe or display any sympathy for him. Perhaps the reason he’s delved into his childhood for tales of embarrassment is because he’s actually pretty well-adjusted these days. He’s certainly a likeable fellow.
Green’s act often feels like an exercise in box-ticking; that insufficient thought has gone into the material. The audience struggle to find the giant laminated photo of him as a kid as funny as he suggests it is. And then there’s the poster: more revolting than it is funny, and certainly not indicative of an edgy show, as some may assume it’s meant to be. Quite the opposite, Bleeding Funny largely lacks the charm required to make an impression.
2/5 
Nick Hemsley
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