Southsider

Aug 9-14, 16-26 (20.15)

Material:  Delivery:  Laughs: 

Diminutive David McIver is a self-confessed ‘Little man all grown up…’ but one would say, perhaps, because nobody with pretensions to possessing a serious adult persona would come out with some of the stuff & nonsense this fine young fellow does – not even his fellow comedians. But, this is what makes Mr McIver so special; he is unique, he is silly, he has an adorable beard & his material is a fascinating blend of high nonsenserie to be applauded. His poetical patter flows like a river as he easily, almost nonchalantly, elicits audience responses to his several secular sketches. I would say experiencing David’s comedy is like a tucking into a lovely, light & nutritious & salad, with just the perfect amount of citrussy dressing.

David McIver is a mermaid on a rock – with a beard – lulling south-side stragglers onto his reef where our vessels of normality will find themselves holed below the bottom by his spiky surreality & sink into the lagoon of his substantive comedy. He has the ability to make non-funny, pretty obvious things, sound funny, & somehow manages to draw humour from rigid reality.  This is probably down to his studying at the prestigious Ecole Philippe Gaulier school for clownerie. In a recent interview with The Mumble, he played down with some humility his status as a clown;

Clown is so difficult and ‘good’ is far too high praise. I try to have loads of fun performing and do material that makes me laugh, and that helps me be playful and ridiculous. I’m pretty stupid and I don’t worry about looking like an idiot if I think it’ll be funny.

Unlike many comedians, who find stretching their floor-spot to an hour a too arduous a task, as David progressed he genuinely got funnier. The curious highlight of his show is his comedy doodles, a collection of which he has collated into a wee book & will give to anybody who donates £5 to the cause. This is a clearly a worthwhile endeavor, because there is a promise of burgeoning brilliance in Mr McIver’s work. He’s not quite the finished article yet, but after a stint at the Fringe & a year of reflection I have a feeling the dandy chap will be coming out with some real corker comedy. He did last night also, of course, a full room full of laughter is proof that, after excavating the mountain of daftness, there are are many of us who want to visit his cave.

Reviewer : Damo