Prague Fringe 2012 Review: My First Ten Sexual Failures and Other Tales About Growing Up

Most of us would prefer to keep quiet about our sexual failures rather than act them out in front of a paying audience.

“I take it you all saw the poster,” Andy asks before he begins stripping off. Fortunately we’re spared full frontal nudity thanks to a pair of fetching Y-fronts and the strategic placement of a teddy bear.

Andy Tomazic kicked off this year’s Prague Fringe Festival on Friday by regaling a full house with his tales of his romantic disasters. As the title suggests, the show is made up of autobiographical material or as Andy puts it “the stupid things that boys and girls do to boys and girls”.

After being dumped by mobile phone while sitting at London Bridge station Andy heads home where he turns to Google for advice on winning his ex-girlfriend back. What does the online oracle suggest?

Become an alpha male.

This apparently involves strutting about confidently, seeking out lots of one night stands and shaving your scrotum. Just in case women thought they had it tough when it comes to depilation, Andy shows us what a fraught operation this can be while keeping his trousers on. This bizarre mime sequence is one of the show’s best bits. Andy’s terrifyingly accurate enactment of a British bloke dancing in a nightclub complete with frantic arm-waving was another hilarious highlight.

However, just like when you listen to your mates’ tales of heartache in real life, some parts are funny and some are, well, a bit dull. Trying to make your confessional angst entertaining rather than merely whiney is tough – just ask Woody Allen – and our hero doesn’t always pull it off. My advice? Like Google, I think if Andy wants to be more of a hit with the ladies – and his audience – he should man up a little.

Still, one aim of the Fringe is to provide a training ground for young actors and Tomazic, who has not yet completed drama school, has put together a show that, on balance, is entertaining enough to merit the 150 CZK ticket price.

Perhaps next time around he could say more about the Portuguese tree-climbing grandma. She sounds fierce.