[AD – PR invite*]
★★★½
Last year comedian, podcaster and writer Demi Adejuyigbe made his Edinburgh Fringe debut with a solo show ‘Demi Adejuyigbe is Going To Do One (1) Backflip’. It was performed at Pleasance Courtyard – Beneath for the majority of the festival and recently transferred to Soho Theatre for two and a half weeks this January and February. Most of the time I cover theatre here on the website, but I occasionally dabble in alternative genres and one of these is comedy! I typically cover at least one comedy act at each of the Fringe festivals and also see the odd standup act throughout the year, so when I heard that Demi would be having a London run at the Soho Theatre, I jumped at the chance to watch the comedian in action and visit a new venue.
About the show
This is not your typical stand-up show; it features original songs and pre-recorded conversations, as well as lots of audience interaction elements. The overarching theme is Demi wanting his ‘crush’ to finally attend one of his shows, and initially they have bailed on him again in favour of a celebrity gathering. Demi parts his wisdom on the audience through his own acronym A. F. L. I. P. !. , letting the audience know all the things they should do if they want to impress their own crush. It’s an amusing central format and vehicle for lots of musical comedy segments, including an up-to-date version of Billy Joel’s ‘We Didn’t Start the Fire’ and a mini musical about a hilarious historical figure (no spoilers). The original songs are where Demi soars, sharing relevant and witty lyrics.
Thoughts on the material
Whilst I can’t pretend that I understood all of the music, film and internet craze references – I’m either slightly too young or just not as clued up about the online world – overall I enjoyed Demi’s set, particularly the visual segments and use of props. In most places the pop culture segments really work and have you laughing continuously, but in a few areas it feels a little repetitive and unnecessary. For example, the animated slides are a brilliant way to capture attention and illustrate the comedy, specifically when Demi is talking about notable people, but the celebrity phone calls feel slightly random and out of place. In my opinion, the music and multimedia sections are where the comedian should focus his energy, as it has the most impact and makes him really stand out as a performer.
A creative hour of comedy!
Overall it is a fun and engaging hour of comedy, featuring some really unexpected moments. A memorable element is how the comedian involves the audience; the front rows never escape Demi’s microphone. You can catch ‘Demi Adejuyigbe is Going To Do One (1) Backflip’ at London’s Soho Theatre until Saturday 15th February, and at Fairfield Social Club, Manchester on Sunday 16th February. Tickets are available via the venue’s website.
Thanks for reading my blog today.
Love Kat xxxx
*My ticket for ‘Demi Adejuyigbe is Going To Do One (1) Backflip’ was gifted in exchange for an unbiased review.
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