Jack Traynor: Before I Forget ★★★★

Before I Forget seems a rather pessimistic take for a young, sharp comedian to indulge in. Nonetheless, it reveals itself to be an unexpectedly tender treat. And a rather tittersome one, at that.

Relating his best stories before they vanish from his memory, Cumbernauld-born-and-bred Jack Traynor rips through the realistic to the surreal, his manic energy powering through everything from his belief in ghosts to critiques on our modern reliance on technology, humorously comparing water flossers to weaponry, and discussing the absurdity of facial recognition systems.

Traynor’s experience of working prison audiences serves him well, as he slips through the poignant to the piss-taking. From his preference to aliens over ghosts, then his choice of ecstasy pills, to ‘Subo Sunday’ (you’ll get it once you ‘get it’!), to financial woes, this is a show that definitely trades all over its messy place.

The emotional chops arrive when it gets personal about Traynor’s grandfather’s dementia,and his family’s efforts to cope with this. Here, his retelling is genuinely lovely and compelling.

If there’s a note for him, and it’s a pretty big one, it’s to lean into his obvious Billy Connolly-isms and own them. The show genuinely comes alive when he prowls his stage, eyeballing the audience. Rather than feeling mean spirited, it feels like a man claiming his space and willing his troops on to enjoy the ride as much as him.

The Connolly comparisons aren’t meant to be detrimental. It’s where a comedian of Trayor’s ilk should aspire to be. And he’ll get there. Through embracing it more, he’ll find his own ‘voice’ faster.

A hugely likeable presence, with an energy that goes on for days, Traynor is an undeniable promising talent. Right now, just one too many of his lines are of the type that your pal would find funny, rather than proper showstoppers.

By all means, grab a ticket for him now, have a laugh and say that you were there. Next year, with a bit more experience locked and loaded, is when he’ll really start to take off.