Фредди Меридиш покорил публику в Плейсенс-Кортъярд без единого шутки

Freddie Meredith @ Pleasance Courtyard There are almost no jokes or discernible punchlines in Freddie Meredith's evocation of a smoking area oddball – and yet it manages to be relentlessly hilarious Is there anything worse than nipping outside the club for a smoke and a moment of quiet, only to be cornered by that one lonesome weirdo? Well, through Freddie Meredith’s eyes, it’s an ideal way to spend your time. After a montage of Instagram stories showcasing Meredith’s pre-drink antics, we are trapped in the smoking area for the show's duration. Nervously wagging his finger, sizing up the audience and opening each interaction with the question “Need a Light?”, the entire show is a tenuous and toe-curling reenactment of everyone’s worst memories. Fidgeting and awkward, Meredith shuffles his feet across the stage, building up confidence to break the ice and strike up a rapport with his new-found companions across the front row. The anxiety-inducing atmosphere he conjures up is punctured by braggadocious anecdotes about how he would fight the kid from Adolescence, how much he loves Top Gear and a brief adventure to the toilet. There are almost no jokes, no discernible punchlines and no charisma in our pestering companion – and yet the entire hour is relentlessly hilarious. Meredith’s flickering of the lip, twitch of the eye and bubbling, brewing confidence are all delivered with such an excruciating accuracy that you cannot help but project your own experiences onto this phenomenal caricature performance. Between bowing to the bartender, the zealous over-confidence and excessive use of toilet sprays, there’s an awful lot of silence. Meredith nods in acknowledgment, chuckles to himself and throws finger guns at his growing assortment of ‘friends’. These moments take up the bulk of the performance, amping up his gauche characteristics throughout. The schtick occasionally shows signs of wearing thin – there’s surely a limit to how many times you can ask someone if they “like film” – but whenever the persona begins to flag, Meredith chucks a grenade, reigniting momentum. Set pieces including his karaoke venture or brief attempts to contact his (ever-evasive) friends are timed perfectly, recapturing the energy whenever it threatens to lilt. Behind his gawky and inept demeanour, Freddie Meredith’s detailed character study is a cohesive masterpiece. Freddie Meredith: Need a Light?, Pleasance Courtyard (Baby Grand), until 30 Aug (not 18), 5.50pm, £15.50/£14.50