Review: TOM CASHMAN: 2 TRUTHS, 1 LIE & 17 SLIGHT EXAGGERATIONS, Soho Theatre

What do you get when you combine a desire to find a way to optimise happiness, an Australian comedian and a healthy dose of graphs? You get Tom Cashman: 2 Truths, 1 Lie & 17 Slight Exaggerations. Fresh from a run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Cashman brings his show to London’s Soho Theatre. Fans of the Australian version of Taskmaster will know Cashman as the co-host of the television series, better known as the Taskmaster’s [Tom Gleeson] assistant. 

But instead of setting tasks for others, Cashman has given himself some assignments with the goal of optimising his happiness. After an unexpected breakup with a partner, he’s ready to reevaluate his life and figure out what’s standing between him and the happier parts of life. The answer? Himself. But, in order to assist him with telling his story, Cashman has brought along a healthy dose of PowerPoint slides - and don’t worry, it doesn’t feel like a teacher giving a presentation.

Cashman is a natural storyteller, beginning his hour with some anecdotes before the actual start of the show. It’s a fantastic way of warming up the audience, especially when joking about a souvenir shop claiming to have Mr. Bean souvenirs in front of a London audience. There’s a story about a flight that fans of Cashman will already be familiar with, but the comedian is prepared for this, giving some extra tidbits that enhance the headline-making tale. 

After the opening stories, Cashman’s real show begins, structured in a way that he will take the audience through each part of his life that needs improvement in order for him to be happy, with some general things like “health” and others being a bit more intimate, like “sex.” Cashman has already anticipated audiences to not expect him to talk about the subject and, knowing his demographic tends to be on the nerdier side, threatens to spoil that day’s Wordle if the sex jokes don’t get enough laughs - and he’s not joking about that!

If you’re a fan of quick wit, Cashman is the comedian for you, flying by at a mile a minute with barely any time for the audience to laugh before the next joke hits them. And worry not, fans of Taskmaster - audiences get a special behind-the-scenes look at one of the earlier series of the show, with Cashman revealing a prank pulled on one of the contestants that never made it to air. More of a sports fan? There’s something in this show for you as well, though you have to wait until the end for the payoff. 

Ultimately, Tom Cashman: 2 Truths, 1 Lie & 17 Slight Exaggerations is a silly and statistic-full look at happiness through the eyes of an overthinking comedian trying to change his ways. Cashman is a talented comedian who is able to use his storytelling skills to allow audiences a peek into his world, intimacy tests and all. 

Tom Cashman: 2 Truths, 1 Lie & 17 Slight Exaggerations ran from 27 - 30 August at Soho Theatre, Dean Street.