| 10 August 2011
Tattooligan was born when Radio Leicester’s most zealous listeners, a sweep of ladies aged between 50 and 85, were asked to describe in one line their impression of the tattooed bloke in the photograph before them. This bloke was Jim and none of their comments were nice - at all. This show is about discovering the man behind the ink.
Ranging from an artful ‘A’ for Amelia, (his “first and last sensible” tattoo) to a sizable portrait of Ron Burgundy on his right arm, his many tattoos all have a story behind them, as well as a meaning. Yet, for the delightful biddies in Leister, the only clear meanings to be construed were “probably into drugs” and “a terrible parent”. These observances form the bare bones of the show, which are fleshed out with Jim’s coarse but witty sense of humour.
Jim is confident sparring with these stereotypes, all of which, he admits in his case, have a certain amount of truth about them. His anecdotes are confessional and, on occasion, very funny. His natural inclination to be scathingly sarcastic and negative is, however, his Achilles heel. It distances him from his audience and makes the moments in which he opens himself to vulnerability feel discomfited and forced. This is a crying shame as the wisdom he imparts is poignant and enlightening.
Jim Smallman: Tattooligan. Gilded Balloon, 3-28 Aug (not 17), 7.45 pm
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