Depression tends to be a topic constantly in the news and yet still a topic that no-one really wants to talk about – let alone joke about. That’s all set to change with Jeff Hewitt at the helm of a new show called Reacharounds For The Soul. Hewitt deftly talks about his battle with depression, first diagnosed when he was twenty two, and how he now feels like a “Eurasian phoenix rising from the ashes.”

A little bit slow to get started, the show picks up as Hewitt blithely relives some of the events throughout his life that he’s struggled with, and also how he’s recovered from them, describing stories such as his breakdown during his final year of law school and the death of his beloved dog Zoe, through to relationship break-ups and being misunderstood by friends and even strangers. An hilarious highlight is definitely the letter-to-the-editor regarding a review Hewitt wrote about an Eminmen cd, and the reply to that letter, and another highlight is the inappropriate themed party he attended.

Possessing the ability to captivate his audience with a down-to-earth attitude and his genuine words of experience, Hewitt’s show has a bit of everything making it a rewarding and moving experience. While the topics he covers may sound a bit heavy and not even remotely funny to listen to, they are funny, and not in a distasteful way either due to Hewitt using comical, short home-made clips perfectly accompanied with music, to illustrate his stories.

Describing his show as not only being about depression but about laugher, beauty, Zen and Cold Chisel (yes that’s right Cold Chisel), Jeff Hewitt’s refreshing take on such a serious topic is brave, funny, original and enjoyable.