Nath Valvo can really get a room worked up. Of the comics I’ve seen since the start of the Fringe few seem to enjoy a rate of laughs-per-minute quite as high as Nath’s. With an acerbic wit, zingy-one-liners and physical comedy chops Nath Valvo is a born entertainer.
With an acerbic wit, zingy-one-liners and physical comedy chops Nath Valvo is a born entertainer.
While his jokes themselves might be somewhat obvious observations about baby showers, WhatsApp groups and gym-freaks, it’s his personality that brings the room completely onside with him. The same as your gossipy friend at brunch on Sundays his naughty indiscretions have everyone feeding from his hand – and rightly so, it’s all deliciously fun and during every applause you can hear some audience member stage-whisper “so right!’ or “that’s you,” nudging their partner. It’s all highly relatable.
The true cleverness of Valvo’s comedy though is actually that while he talks almost exclusively about his misanthropy; his unwillingness to see friends, join in any kind of group activity, seems to resent his boyfriend, mocks his parents and loathes almost all activities millennials enjoy with the exception of Deliveroo, the show is nothing but fun. Nath Valvo’s cheeky smiles and exuberant physicality cloak a misery guts and it works in his favour because the 8pm crowd roaming around George Square gardens of a Friday night want upbeat entertainment without too much thinking and Valvo delivers.
One word of warning, Valvo’s material varies only in slight degrees year on year so if you’ve seen him before you will have seen a good proportion of his jokes, although the crowd were enjoying it so fiercely that I got swept up for a ride and started laughing along as well, even when the punchline was no surprise. It might not be ground breakingly original, but Nath Valvo spirited comedy needs to be enjoyed at least once because it really is the simplest definition of a good night out. If you are the friend in leading the WhatsApp group it seems unlikely you'll be getting any of 'those' messages.
