Terry Alderton is the sort of comedian that will delight the more jaded comedy fans amongst this year’s Fringe crowd. Exciting, entertaining and easily one of the weirder comedians playing on this year’s bill at the Pleasance Courtyard, it’s a pleasure to experience an act that dares to disregard the danger of alienating his audience. Instead, Alderton takes us along for a ride into his warped comedic mind, whether we want to go or not.
His eclectic, energetic humour jumps from one subject to the next at a frightening speed, taking in such topics as monkey fighting and Irish accents, all whilst terrifying the front row of the audience with delicious aplomb.
Alderton is a master of microphone manipulation and subsequently, the strongest material of the night was mined from a series of sound and audio gags that relied primarily on his obscenely odd vocal range. For audiences new to Alderton’s schtick, it seems reasonable to place him in the overlapping boundary between Michael Winslow and Stewart Lee. Alderton runs riot with his many-voiced personalities, but does so all the while in a wonderfully self-aware and amusing manner.
All of this could fall flat if Alderton were truly improvising and accordingly, his show is well-rehearsed and technically polished. It is clear that Alderton is an experienced and adept performer, and one who knows how to gauge his audience to the nth degree. His rapport with the crowd is instantaneous and easy, and he seems able to draw upon a rich vein of gags when it comes to picking on those doomed to sit directly in his line of fire.
Inventive, idiotic and very funny, Terry Alderton is the ideal antidote for act-weary comedy fans looking for something new this Fringe, and will provide an eye-opening experience for the more casual audience member. If you don’t sit down with an open mind, he might just prise it open for you anyway.
