Earl Okin is a funny man. At first blush he is, to look at, one part Roy Orbison and three parts Henry Kissenger. His claims to being a sex symbol are immediately silly as the archetypal  respressed and restrained English gentleman and his guitar greet you and produce a song of such hilarity first up that this hour promises everything Friday evening entertainment can be. Strangely however, and I assume in recognition of this being a cabaret festival, Okin took to playing some straight cabaret ballards that had either no humour or the merest excuse associated with it. As a result moments of the show drifted that had he stuck to a stricter comedy routine would have delighted.

Nonetheless there were magic moments, his tribute to Andrew Lloyd Webber and finales to women who aren’t beautiful (because there are so many more of them) were highlights of these. His horn solos were terrific and his puns and double entendres always amusing.

Kryztoff Rating     3.5K