What I liked
John Jarmingus is such a larger than life character! From his accent to his mannerisms, it feels like everything about him is exaggerated for comedic effect. He often pushes the boundaries and I can imagine that some people might get uncomfortable at times. Personally, I found most of the moments of cringe to be entertaining since that was true to the character. But definitely know that you will be witnessing a performer who is willing to allow moments of discomfort to give 100% to the persona he has created. I thought the physical comedy was extremely well done and thoroughly enjoyed watching John teach an audience member how to do “the perfect cartwheel”. It’s impressive how Adam can react to people so quickly and essentially create a new show every time since Better U is largely improvisational. Though you can definitely just watch, I highly recommend being open to going onstage if you go see this show. It adds another layer to the experience for you and helps the show overall because it relies so heavily on audience participation.
What I didn't like
There were a few times when John had to leave the crowd and I thought those moments did well to break up the seminar. However, I was very curious about the phone call with his boss about him needing to “get the numbers up”. I thought it would factor in more later, like John needing to sign us all up for Better U before the end of the show so he doesn’t get fired (or perhaps even murdered?). Some resolution to that maybe could have played up John’s desperation or solidified a narrative arc that he somewhat engages with, regarding how companies like these really don’t care about your betterment as long as they get their money.
My overall impression
Better U was a wild, absurdist improv show that skewers self-help culture with one of the craziest characters I’ve ever seen.
