Edinburgh Fringe Festival
Online Zoom
23rd – 30th Aug, 2021
I turned up a little late for this Comedy called Tom Mayhew: From Rags to Slightly Newer Rags that was another online production. He read from his material and always went back to it if he had become sidetracked by the zoom audience with our mike’s switched on. Not just a guy on a screen, but a capable comedian with a bright future.
I am not suggesting that lightly because from what he told us he had climbed out of the world of benefits (or at least had started the journey) coming about when radio work came calling. The 3 or 4 audience was something he just worked with. Evidently understanding his crowd as an established comic should.
The general autobiographical idea behind the show was a good stroke for his work where he could dive in and out of his material and remain relevant to us his audience. Creating this bond was an important way to make a good comedy progress, so he maintained it from beginning to end. The one hour aspect he used to drive home a funnier perspective almost squashing his performance and condensing the experience.
As this young man talked he delivered discursive concepts of social awareness and social injustice. His important work as a comic he claimed (quite rightly) was at the forefront of his life. He sympathised with actors and artists then brought out very absurd thoughts that literally triggered my good humour.
All of his material had a real sense of the injustices prevalent in our world today making him a kind of rebel comic ready to make the sacrifice for his beliefs. And his beliefs seemed to be very righteous and outspoken because of the severity of his subjects.
We loudly would agree with him even if he had only sprinkled in a circumstance or situation we could relate to. Using funny examples (in the most comic way) to underline his points of view. He compared us (humans) to pigeons with the notion that they have more rights than us.
Perhaps using the pigeon proposition specifically to stir our distaste because in our world pigeons seem very lowly and even despicable. It was a celebration of irony, intricately woven by a very confident writer. Sharpening his tools to seem like taking care of us lovingly then sitting back, arms folded proud of the chaos he’s just let loose.
We enjoyed his organisation keeping things in a delightful formation and in his wiliness to be a comic. He passionately wanted to sustain his beliefs in being one, with material good enough to take on tour and who knows what next. My enthusiasm for him is evident and that doesn’t happen without something having transposed.
This performance was more than fresh, without even trying, youthfully engaging, like an honour waiting to happen with a bright energy and very good wit. He did the work; he made the show which was really quite exciting. His vibrations were felt by all being great vibrations of complete laughing, inhaling comedy. We will see you next time somewhere.
Daniel Donnelly
Mumble Comedy 