Come all ye and enter the court of the hot pink king. Luke Rollason’s absurdist, offbeat clown comedy will have you slightly confused as you double over with laughter. Because Rollason has a problem: everything he touches turns to comedy gold – he is literally incapable of doing something unfunny. It doesn’t exactly play out like that, but his unique blend of expressive physical comedy and juvenile gags creates a fascinating cocktail which is difficult to tear your eyes from. You might not know exactly why you’re laughing, but you’re laughing all the same.
The delightfully feckless Rollason cuts a spindly, lizard-like figure as he struts about the stage spinning yarns of cursed kings and ugly ducklings. He can sometimes be grotesque, leading to some facepalm moments of shock, and he can be totally nonsensical. Anything goes in Rollason land. There are plenty of moments where you wonder what the point of it all is; there is an underlying motif about creativity, but it’s quite opaque. There’s also no avoiding being drawn into his fantastical world as he asks you to take an active role in his plot; these moments are some of the show’s finest, and the clash between Rollason’s oddball persona and some bloke from the audience helps to accentuate the show’s finest elements.
Sometimes it feels superfluous, and some sections drag without any real conclusion or bite but if absurdist physical comedy is your thing, Luke Rollason is just the ticket.
Luke Rollason, Luke Rollason, Let Down Your Hair, 19.10, Pleasance, until August 25
https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/luke-rollason-luke-rollason-let-down-your-hair
