You need to have a good whack of confidence to go for some of this. Opening with a Christmas song? And then following it up with a Halloween one? Trying (and, yes, failing) to steer a remote controlled comedy robot around a stage strewn with wires, instruments and the detritus of a series of quick fire bits? I won’t give the game away, but there’s a high stakes section mid way which skirts dangerously to scuppering the whole thing. Risky stuff. Fortunately, Demi Adejuyigbe has the wherewithal to keep this all afloat.
Quite how he makes this feel like there’s any stakes at all is a feat in itself, because the whole thing is just plain silly. Deliciously so. A mixture of songs, stories, sketches and one liners, plus some high-reward audience interaction, Adejuyigbe has the confidence to keep the tone light, and the skill to keep the vibe teetering on the edge of chaos. This lends itself well to a certain manic, rough quality. Adejuyigbe’s super sharp comebacks to any mishaps are enough to help us understand we’re in safe hands. There’s a theme here about selling out for cash which is a springboard for silly ideas rather than an anchor that tugs.
Still, it’s possible to discern studied chaos from areas that lack finesse. There’s little attention paid to his movement in the big space, meaning he’s on and off the mic at random. The mic is on reverb the whole time rather than just the songs. A more earnest pre-close song is very rushed and adds little. Who needs pathos when daftness is this funny?
Demi Adejuyigbe Sells Out, Pleasance Dome, until 30 Aug (not 17), 6.45pm