Welcome to gay, with your host Brendan Goh, a gently confessional comedian who wants to tell you about his life. Goh’s unforced conversational style is well suited to the intimate space of Drama Llama at the Rhino Room: it really does feel like he’s simply sharing his stories with friends, rather than performing a show. 

But what stories. Goh’s tales of corporal punishment, homophobic state-backed persecution and racism are truly shocking, yet his understated delivery means this isn’t played for shocks and gasps. Rather, it’s rooted in truth, which builds empathy and understanding. It’s later, perhaps on the way home, or cleaning your teeth the next morning, that the ‘WTF did I just hear?’ moments take place. There’s both bravery and skill in that. However, there are a few structural issues with the show. Overall, there’s not much of a build and some links feel a little disjointed: it’s more a collection of anecdotes than a cohesive story with a conclusion and some bits just don’t feel connected.

Where Goh is strongest is in his dissection of gay culture, both good and bad, in his native Malaysia. That his delivery is so sweet highlights the oppression that still exists, and that’s something that needs the spotlight of laughter. Goh’s got the bones of a decent hour here; he just needs to work a little harder to put the right scaffolding in place.