Eric Rushton’s spotty past and employment history are so funny it would be a shame not to turn it into an hour-long comedy show. So, this is precisely what he decided to do; with cheeky mannerisms and a delightfully satirical turn-of-phrase, he jests his way through some of the most absurd episodes of his recent past – from extremely ill-advised work emails and being glued to a chair to a playground confectionary empire. As he takes off on his fanciful tales, his unfailing light-hearted wit will captivate you and have you doubling over in equal measure.
It does feel slightly lowkey early on, he kind of struggles to pick up some momentum, but you grow to appreciate his more laidback approach to comedy as the show progresses. It’s almost mesmerising the way he can generate riotous laughter with such an easy-going style. It’s especially impressive to watch as he crafts ridiculous scenarios to insert himself into, such as a date with Margot Robbie, but tells them with an innocuous innocence; it really helps to accentuate his point and give the show a sneakily humourous edge and metronomic momentum.
To say too much about the decaf coffee bit, the show’s lynchpin, would be to ruin the faux grandiose conspiracy element that makes it tick, but it’s well worth sitting through Rushton’s sprawling anecdote, and its payoff is profoundly funny. Rushton’s ability to seamlessly slip in callbacks and tie his show in a narrative bow in way which doesn’t feel contrived is perhaps his show’s finest quality.
Eric Rushton: Real One, 15.20, Monkey Barrel, until August 25
