Summing up Eric Rushton can be done in three words. Deadpan, funny and relatable. Using his childhood, social awkwardness and depression as springboards for his jokes the 29-year old tells us how he got into the stand-up game.
Dressed in an Oasis top, and drowning in dry humour, he jokes of his big break in the world-famous Nativity play. This is when he got the bug for comedy due to his improvised interpretation of the Innkeeper. From here he shares how he has come to terms being on the ‘fourth best antidepressant’ (which makes some things hard), tying it all together with his relationship woes.
Not letting on – except for a small pause for the punchlines, the set is very on the nose. It’s tightly written – Eric knows exactly what he has – and more importantly what he is. He doesn’t bounce around as some comedians do, his stage presence matches his stories, slightly awkward as he stands still at the microphone, but it fully fits his style.
The material strives into dark territory, but it never feels dark. He talks us through his free University therapy and how AI compares, how he feels ugly compared to others and also his social awkwardness.
It feels genuine and that makes it enough to stand out.
Eric Rushton: innkeeper, Hive 2 at Monkey Barrel Comedy (The Hive), 15.20, Until Aug 24 (not 12th)
https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/eric-rushton-innkeeper
