Tim Key headlines inaugural Plosive Comedy in Dulwich show

Fans of the stand-up scene, rejoice: Plosive Comedy in Dulwich has arrived. This monthly showcase promises “hand-picked alternative comedy” from the contemporary comfort of the MCT at Alleyn’s School. The inaugural show is headlined by Tim Key, winner of the Edinburgh Comedy Award among other accolades, and co-star of Alan Partridge’s Mid Morning Matters series. Joining him is MC Lloyd Griffith and comics Fern Brady and Mat Ewins, the components of a riotous first show with no shortage of audience interaction and a well curated variety of comic styles.

It takes a skilful wit to provide the requisite audience interaction of an MC, and Lloyd Griffith proves he’s more than capable. Whether acting as middleman for a conversation between the stalls and balcony or delving into the romantic history of a front row couple, he’s game for anything. Griffith happens to be the new co-host of Soccer AM, and the Plosive Comedy show proves that he has still more strings to his bow: namely an impressive choral singing ability, an encyclopaedic knowledge of English cathedrals and a portfolio of impressions of sticky tape. It will be a pleasure to watch how his star rises as his confidence grows.

Fern Brady offers a change of pace with her blasé delivery, husky voice and rebel edge. Her feelings of being out of place are explored as she regales the room with her “tall-y small-y” relationship, her own psychopathic tendencies and her time spent serving eggs to paedos in prison. Honest, kooky and relevant, Brady is a championing voice for the awkward outsider and the frustrated liberal. She can be seen in the Viceland TV series Brexit Stage Left.

Next up is 2017 Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee Mat Ewins: a comedian for the YouTube generation. “I’ve not written a joke since 2012,” he muses as he presents clip after clip on a projector screen. Audience participation plays a vital role: he invites us to choose en masse which items we’d pick up if stranded on a desert island and he hands a member of the front row a game pad so he can play via the onstage screen. Thanks to a fast-paced energy, simple delivery and innovative media, Ewin’s set is a thoroughly enjoyable treat. His sea shanty singalong is a hysterical highlight.

Tim Key rounds off the night with brand new material, complemented with the Key-isms we know and love, such as his signature shook-up lager trick and poetry read from the backs of playing cards. A collection of absurd and wonderful stories and video clips ensue, presented with Key’s impish smile and sudden bouts of boisterous shouting. There is perhaps even more confidence and energy to this set than to any previous, and it’s clear that this is a true professional at the top of his game, having cultivated a form all of his own. It’s a glorious ending to the night and one which is demonstrably adored by all in attendance.

Laura Foulger
Photo: Plosive Productions

Plosive Comedy in Dulwich events are on once a month. For further information and future events visit the Plosive Productions website here.