In this way, he reminds me of Mark Nelson – or vice versa. Redmond has an enormous stage charisma, meaning he could be on a much bigger stage, standing in one spot as he does, without being dwarfed by it.
The first half of the routine led with only two or three belly laughs and most lukewarm gags, but in the second half, he found his element in telling some quite exceptional stories. From one night stands to precisely the joke that he told in 1987, they are told with a frankness and a style that makes each story seem as if he's telling it in passing, making the punch line to each all the sweeter.
You couldn't be blamed, from his opening, for thinking that his style is miserly and self-deprecating. You'd only be wrong about the former because he is jovial and pure.
Self-deprecation is a kind of humour that comedians and reviewers love for many complex reasons but Redmond's is such that he can relish in and even celebrate his most vivid and unexpected stories. This enables him to come back every day and genuinely laugh at himself and his own jokes and stories without seeming in the slightest bit disingenuous.
Basically, go see a comedian who's been doing it for decades for a master class in comedy storytelling and dealing with hecklers…
Michael Redmond: I Wrote A Joke In 1987 is on every evening at 18:30 at the Gilded Balloon Teviot everyday except 14 Aug until the end of the Fringe. For tickets and more info, visit the Fringe website.
Thank you Bhavesh. That's a lovely and insightful review. Cheers, Michael