For a show about a break-up,
Griffith doles out happiness likes he’s a panto dame throwing sweets to the children
For those worried about whether they really want to spend an hour listening to a self-deprecating man with a penchant for Magaluf holidays talking uninterrupted on the topic of his ex-girlfriend, fear not. Defying a considerable proportion of Fringe shows, Griffith avoids the self-indulgence of seeing an open mic as an invitation to clap back at anyone who has dared hurt his feelings, and his treatment of the aforementioned ex, ‘Suzie (For Legal Reasons)’, is nothing but happy, fond and mature, and his comedy never falls short of good-natured.
Like any long-term relationship, in:Undated requires diversity to keep it fresh and Griffith duly provides a sweet selection box of tangents, audience interactions and song to break up the hour. His tone is easy and enjoyable, clever without any desire to be highbrow; as he quips himself he’s a ‘bit Radio 4, bit Keith Lemon’. Griffith might have the ‘average bloke’ aesthetic down to a tee, but his material delights and surprises, even when set in the context of the seemingly well-trodden topic of dating.
Griffith’s rejection of the slick stand-up gravitas set-up is refreshing; he doesn’t need long pauses and knowing looks to sell his jokes. In fact, his runaway style gets your laughter reflex working in overtime, as you race to keep up with his rattling narrative. If you like getting value for money, in:Undated is for you; Griffith probably packs in 50% more material than the average comic, purely based on words per minute.
It’s only when he starts to sing that Griffith’s puppy-like energy matures into something calmer. What a shame, then, that there is really only one point in the show in which this happens – especially when his poster so tantalisingly advertises him as possessing the “voice of an angel”. It is this niche that can surely elevate Griffith above the rest, and provide a slick, stylised foil to his breathless ramblings, which, due to their non-stop nature, occasionally prevent him from punching at the highest heights of a comic moment.
In his delightful hour on stage, Griffith doles out happiness likes he’s a panto dame throwing sweets to the children. For anyone dealing with heartbreak, disappointment or even just needing to know that it will all be okay, the Pleasance Dome at 7pm can absolutely be your happy place.
