Oliver Coleman is relatively new to the comedy circuit but since his debut two-and-a-half years ago he has built quite a following with his absurdist laugh-out-loud buffoonery.
This mild-mannered stand-up comedian isn’t afraid of making a fool of himself – or the audience – as he ploughs his way through a series of whacky, off-the-wall sketches that are so damn silly it’s hilarious.
But it’s not just the sheer silliness of the gags that make you laugh; the entire show is so unpredictable that you have no idea where it’s going or why it is delivered at such a manic pace. There is no let-up as Oliver delivers on his promise of “a frenetically disorderly hour of high-octane absurdity”.
The fun starts before the audience is settled - which in itself is quite unsettling. Playing the role of Pool Attendant, Oliver reads a list of questionable rules for the Pool Party we’re about to attend and on which the show is supposedly derived. But that’s about as far as it goes. Like everything else in this madcap production – the rules – like the pool party idea itself – are promptly thrown out the window and the show takes a sharp turn into uncharted territory.
Although Oliver stays in pool shorts for much of the show, there are moments when he flips character and employs some rough and ready props, like a 1980s blue serge jacket, cardboard-box art masks and some dodgy, out of date ‘merch’ he wants to flog.
His recreation of a 1980s New York stand-up comic is absolute gold and a highlight of the evening. He nails the character brilliantly with a string of absurd one-liners delivered at fever pitch until it reaches an ear shattering crescendo that leaves the audience stunned and Oliver breathless.
This was followed by a freshly minted skit, ‘The Spawning Prawn’ which is off-the-hook funny, truly original and another reason you’ll be hearing the name Oliver Coleman a lot more in the future.
While some of the skits narrowly missed the mark, most hit the spot and frankly, it’s near impossible not to be impressed by this crazy yet likeable comic with his self-deprecating humour, inventive writing style and manic delivery.
File under Dadaist humour and make sure you catch him before he gets big.
★★★★☆
