A stool, a guitar, a microphone, a bottle of water – a miscellaneous box of props. The stage is set. The show: Jet Lag and Disappointment, Declan Amphlett’s debut hour of stand-up (in case that wasn’t obvious from the collection of items present). Walking into the Corpus Playroom, it’s hard not to compare the set up of the room to that of a professional comic. Often students tend to avoid the ‘typical’ stand-up vibe for their first solo show, probably for fear of inevitable comparisons with more experienced and assured performers. Amphlett, however, does not shy away from the ‘professional’ vibe, and, quite honestly, he needn’t worry about it at all.

The show begins strongly, with a video introducing us to the immediately likeable Declan and only improves from there on in. He regales us with stories from his year abroad (the fact that he’s back in Cambridge says a lot about how well it’s going), his Catholic upbringing, the language barrier he battles in Paris (who knew ‘lawyer’ and ‘avocado’ could be so easily confused) and the state of his life and health as he tells us: “My body is a temple, and I’m ISIS and I’ve destroyed it.” Indeed, Amphlett’s clear talent for writing great one liners and well-constructed jokes is apparent from the start.

“One of the most immediately likeable performers I’ve ever seen”

The show itself is so well constructed and polished that it is easy to forget that you’re watching student comedy. Amphlett is consistently funny – even his throw away lines are jokes – while his love of performing and of comedy is apparent throughout. There was not a single dip in confidence or energy, and we were left with no doubt that he deserves to hold the stage for an hour of our time. In fact, the show flew by and I was left distinctly surprised when it ended, being so engaged in the material that I could have happily sat there for another hour, or two (or maybe more – in case you couldn’t tell, I really enjoyed it).

Probably the most pleasantly surprising aspect of the show was its variation. Amphlett’s talents even extend to song-writing, and while it’s one thing to be a great stand-up, it is distinctly intimidating to be a great stand-up, and performer, and lyricist, and musician, and storyteller. What’s more, Amphlett’s hour wasn’t just a demonstration of raw talent. It was very clearly a well-produced, polished, and decidedly slick production which had been honed and edited to perfection, leaving no rough edges or uncertain transitions. The amount of time and effort put in was clear, and the result was a wonderfully engaging show with few, if any, faults.

Review: Laugh, Why Don't You

Amphlett is one of the most immediately likeable performers I’ve ever seen. The show held true notes of vulnerability and heart; it was a clear labour of love and, when it drew to a conclusion on a real note of poignancy, it was hard not to feel an emotional connection between performer and audience. Not once did we feel that Amphlett’s stage persona was forced or contrived, and after an hour of listening to him tell stories and sing us songs, it really felt like we knew him. While this review may sound like just a lengthy Crushbridge, it is undeniable that Amphlett deserves a platform for his material and, next time he’s back from Paris, you should really get tickets for whatever he is doing. It will definitely be worth it