Review: JOSH SHARP: TA-DA!, Soho Theatre

Josh Sharp’s ta-da! is a million miles a minute ride through everything from queerness to quantum theory, told through 2000 powerpoint slides. And despite being exactly as mental as it sounds, it really works.

Sharp is a natural comic and storyteller, who we warm to almost immediately. His humour is fast-paced, tongue-in-cheek, and very gay, never shying away from the crass or risque. There’s a definite specificity to his anecdotes of NYC, but most of the time Sharp smoothly drops in London references to win over the Soho crowd. The show births its own lore very quickly, easily looping back on itself to build a recognisable world of reference points. 

What’s more astounding is how Sharp makes such an insurmountable feat of a show feel so relaxed and confident. He flicks through 2000 intricately choreographed slides, never missing a beat of either the storytelling or the comedy. In fact, the show’s unique form is its strongest aspect – we’ve seen powerpoint theatre before, but never like this.

Sharp uses the slides both as a tool for structure and creativity, but also as a thematic base, as the show cleverly and carefully explores how we can read or think two things at once, and how two opposing things can both be true. It’s a very smart concept, but one that never feels overly try-hard or erudite – ta-da! excels in the way it combines an underlying intelligence with the unabashedly silly and stupid.

Sharp’s stories themselves are all genuinely funny stand-alone anecdotes, effortlessly weaving into the larger narrative of his family, adolescence, and sexuality. There’s unexpected pathos and real emotion in the show’s self-described ‘third act twist’, which perfectly balances out the more crass beats from the first half.

Importantly, though, ta-da! is a show that doesn’t take itself too seriously – or rather doesn't take itself seriously at all. After all, it’s one big glorified powerpoint, complete with word art (see: Josh Sharp’s name in a rainbow gradient). There’s heart hand emojis, Adele videos, apologies for being a he/him, and an impassioned rant about people not knowing how to use an umbrella in central London. 

Sharp’s punchlines are often about gay culture, and sometimes theatre, with these more specific jokes often getting the biggest laughs with a Soho audience. “What does this American know, he hasn’t even done the Fringe!” Sharp asks, while quipping about finding the ‘meaning’ of a one man show. There's a delightful self-awareness in moments like these that makes the audience feel fully in on the joke. 

ta-da! is a true crowdpleaser – it’s no wonder the buzz around the show crossed the Atlantic. Josh Sharp has crafted a brilliantly silly coming together of comedy and theatre that has to be seen to be believed, and won’t be forgotten in a hurry.

Josh Sharp: ta-da! runs at Soho Theatre (Main House) until 28 February.