Early on in Oh No! Christopher Macarthur-Boyd suggests lockdown came at a good time for him, putting the brakes on life when he was in his late twenties as opposed to an earlier, perhaps more formative year. It’s an observation which leads to some fine jokes about a youthful holiday in Magaluf, but a lot of the Glasgow comedian’s excellent Fringe show makes a lie of that original statement.
An assured and capable comedian who thrives on stage
Like many others who could no longer do the jobs or those activities which were a big part of their identities, Macarthur-Boyd had a tough time when stand-up became illegal. When you're stopped from doing the thing that defines you, then what's left? With an easy, conversational delivery style he explores some of his experiences of the time. From Deliveroo addiction to an episode of incontinence, each of the accounts are littered with laughs and well-timed gags.
There are jokes about mental health, and riffs on relationships, and it’s all consistently funny. Subjects both silly, such as the attitude of buses, and serious, like suicidal thoughts, are dealt with in the same laconic and casual way. There are occasional outbursts of exuberance to mark impressions of aggression but things quickly return to chatty, and moments where Macarthur-Boyd interacts with the audience feel very natural, the comedian proving himself a nimble performer with a light-hearted approach.
In addition to the lockdown material, there is a refreshingly random assortment of topics littered throughout the show. Whether he’s playing off Hello Fresh against Gousto like an in-demand Southern Belle, or extolling the upsides of global warming, Macarthur-Boyd proves over and over that whatever identity crisis he might have undergone when “Johnny Coronavirus” came a-calling, with Oh No! he proves he is most certainly an assured and capable comedian who thrives on stage.
