Presented by Stamptown
Review by Annie Aslett
Pleasance Courtyard – Upstairs: Tickets
Musical comic Huge Davies must have been daunted to spot veteran keyboard comedian David O’Doherty in his audience tonight, though Davies has no reason to be nervous. O’Doherty’s stand-up is more of the sit-down variety, whereas Davies struts up and down the stage, keyboard strapped to his hips like an oversized harmonica harness. Despite his fairly self-deprecating comic persona, the reality of Davies’ stage presence is a confident swagger. Though not as eccentric as early-career James Acaster, Davies’ attitude smacks of young Acaster’s take-me-or-leave-me vibe.
Davies’ songs introduce us to the legacy of his ancestors, whose stories are frankly ridiculous… I won’t spoil the show’s running schtick other than to say it is unexpected and joyous every time. Davies’ references are firmly millennial, though his unique musical stylings will entertain any crowd (16+, because of the hot tub song).
Davies keeps crowd work to a controlled minimum, clearly more comfortable in control of the narrative. There is, however, a lot of crowd involvement, as we are encouraged to sing and snap along. Teachers in the room will spot the classic ‘participate, or I’ll embarrass you’ technique employed by Davies – as he says, you will enjoy it more if you get into it. His run-ins with tech guy Alec on the sidelines are frequent; Davies is casually perplexed enough that these could be off the cuff, though they’re too funny not to be planned. Either way, the audience is happy.
Album for my Ancestors (Dead) is a joy to experience – Davies heaps effortless charm and energy into his extremely funny and well-constructed show.
Review by Annie Aslett (contact@corrblimey.uk)
Annie is a not-so-recent graduate of the University of Edinburgh with a degree in French and Spanish, along with a Masters in Translation from the University of Glasgow. A Spanish teacher for three years, she decided to leave the classroom behind to pursue personal goals and has since been regularly reviewing for Corr Blimey’s Glaswegian wing. Annie is a life-long lover of musical theatre, whose childhood performances included a rousing production of Snow White in The Hall and a heartfelt rendition of Go, Go, Go Joseph in The Living Room.
