John Tothill: This Must Be Heaven was everything that you could want from a stand-up comedy show – good laughs, a comfortable atmosphere, gentle audience interaction, and a damn good time. Oysters, an “obliterated” appendix, cruise ship comedy, and a love of life’s unhealthy pleasures create a fabulous myriad of thoroughly enjoyable comedy. Thankfully, his organs behaved long enough for us to enjoy the full hour!
From the moment that John stood in front of the audience, it became clear that he was a natural. The atmosphere in the room relaxed as John’s easy, joyful, troublesome presence cleared any audience anxiety from the venue, to be replaced with easy laughter and curious stories.
John’s improvisation skills shone brightly throughout the 60-minute performance. Picking on audience members, he goaded their fashion and experiences in a tasteful, playful way. This tasteful yet playful theme permeated through the performance, as stories came and went like puffs of whimsy. These stories were not just hysterical, but also educational. I will forever remain mildly obsessed with Edward Dando and his oysters, thanks to John’s fabulous retelling.
“If someone gave this a standing ovation, I’d throw you out”
John Tothill: This Must Be Heaven is nothing short of a wonderful stand-up comedy experience. Everything about John’s presence is purely fabulous, from his accent to his clothing choices to his choice of anecdote. ADHD was given the room to run rampant and create a chaotic line of thought that emboldened John’s presence and created a gently chaotic atmosphere that somehow circled back to the brilliantly crafted script. It was clear that no night would be the same, each shaped by the audience and whatever strange route John’s mind launched him down.
If you are in the mood for a night of reliably good stand-up, engagingly advanced comedic opinion, and a warm, comfortable atmosphere at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe, then rest assured that John Tothill: This Must Be Heaven is a fantastic way to spend an evening.
John Tothill: This Must Be Heaven: The Where, When, and How
John Tothill: This Must Be Heaven is running from 30th July – 24th August (not 12) at 21:00, Pleasance Courtyard (Beneath) – you can book your tickets here.
Enjoyed this review? You can read more of Brig’s growing collection of Edinburgh Fringe reviews here.
Featured Image Credit: Rebecca Need-Menear
Journalism student at the University of Stirling & BRAW Magazine editor 24/25 and 25/26 🙂
You can see my portfolio here: https://www.clippings.me/alicepollard
