I can identify with Sam Marzden. He has, much like myself, read too many rock star biographies, and has amassed a wealth of knowledge about the genre’s decadent history, fluids and all. Unlike me, however, Marzden has decided to do something productive with his knowledge, condensing it into a one-hour narrative dubbed The History of Rock ‘n’ Roll (1962 – 1989).
His sideburns are uneven and he wears a Slipknot t-shirt beneath his private school blazer. He paces back and forth on the stage, his style lending more to lecturer than comedian. We don’t learn too much about the amateur rock historian during his performance – but this show isn’t about him, it’s about the stories of others.
Much like Rob Flemming, Nick Hornby’s protagonist in High Fidelity, the stories are loosely strung together with top five lists, such as the top five worst interpretations of lyrics or most bizarre rock star deaths. The latter is a list which Marzden doesn’t finish but which does feature a long and uneven aside about the alleged death of Paul McCartney in the ‘70s, a conspiracy theory so tenuously fun and bat-shit crazy it makes the arguments of 9/11 ‘truthers’ seem logical.
Marzden’s body language conveys a wavering confidence throughout the night. His hand movements become animated with each laugh and retreat behind his back when a joke doesn’t work. His timing too is a tad shaky, yet some of the show’s biggest laughs come from improvisation, a skill which could be a great tool for Marzden if his improvisational asides didn’t so obviously throw him off his script.
The show’s main problem is its imbalance of tone. The dark humour and tales are unevenly placed, which is difficult as it creates an inconsistent mood. Even though some of the punch-lines fall flat, though, the show finds strength with its subject matter, be it a tale of Axl Rose’s racist tirades or Marvin Gaye’s paranoia of being murdered.
This is perhaps best shown in Marzden’s recounting of the tale of “musician” and provocateur GG Allin. There is fun to be had in seeing the expression on audience member’s faces, such as the horrified woman next to me, when they hear about GG’s unique brand of audience participation, a combination of fists and faeces. Marzden’s analysis of the incident, speculating on GG’s post-gig conversation with his band about merits and success of throwing poo at the audience and punching women in the crowd, is the highlight of the set.
You may not repeat the jokes to your friends at the pub, but you will repeat the anecdotes and trivia. Did you know A.A. Milne previously owned the house Brian Jones died in? You do now.
The History of Rock’n’Roll (1962-1989) runs until 13 October at the Portland Hotel. Full ticketing information is available on the Fringe Festival website.
