It is often difficult to conjure up enough words of praise for a near faultless performance but Ivo Graham’s was just that. The delivery was honest and hilarious, he dealt well with jibes from the crowd and his endearing charm lingered, despite the occasional hoot at his own jokes.
A near faultless performance
His disclosure as being an Etonian alumni didn’t come as much of a surprise, given the accent and scruffy chinos but rather than lapsing into the territory of the “posh toff” his antics surpassed the revelation of his privileged class.
The show was an unusual set up in that the entire first half was a more of an introduction than a delivery of his material. Although, I suspect he weaved some premeditated wit in amongst the exchange of taunts with an audience member who he was picking on for apparently attending a previous show. The coincidence did seem a bit contrived at first but if legitimate, he is surely a master of improvisation, either way, it was entertaining nonetheless.
Picking up in the second half, he laid bare his insecurities about marriage and children, losing his virginity and the formal relationship with his standoffish father. His relatable experiences of a millennial entering his late twenties, particularly through the retelling of a day out at Go Ape were light hearted but spot on in their observations.
Bumbling through the responsibilities of owning a flat, being newly engaged and his impending fatherhood in a way that is typically British in its self-depreciation but somehow boastful by way of his miraculously achieving it gave a hopeful outlook to the motion sickness of being thrust into the future of a life that turns out just to belong to your average guy was applauded by all and greatly enjoyable as a comedy show at the Komedia on a Sunday night.
