Cosy is the perfect word to express my physical and emotional state when watching Alex Prescot perform. His new hour-long show, Alex Prescot: Cosy, was aptly named and very well received. Alex is a London-based comic and comedy director with many an accolade under his belt already, so it was no surprise that the audience at Pegasus Theatre had a great time on Saturday evening.
The show follows Alex’s progress as a solo comic, having been abandoned by his comedy partner due to the intoxicating pull of international travel. He regales the audience with stories of his previous work with aforementioned comic partner, Nick, while also probing the willing participants in the audience to see if anyone might fit into Nick's humorous hypothetical shoes. With some twists and turns (and unexpected musical numbers about stealing an ex-best friend’s dog) he manages to keep the vibes fun, silly and cosy for the full hour. By the end of the show, Alex has recruited all of us to become his new comedy partner. We are asked to sign a ‘contract’ and recite said contract to the tune of the hit song 'California Dreamin' by The Mamas and the Papas (you have to be there).
Alex blends great comic timing with brilliant musical ability to create a joyfully witty and engaging atmosphere during his hour on stage. While chatting to the audience and getting things started, Alex is able to retain a staggering amount of information about each audience member and subsequently regurgitate that information into a song when he feels it’s right. The songs are completely unique, often ridiculous and always hilarious. With a mix of improvised and prepared songs, the show flows beautifully and adds enough variation to keep everyone happy.
Each time Alex is pleased by an audience member's response or interjection he awards them with a cushion - cosiness levels are met at all times. The set is kept minimal with some soft lighting choices, including a very cosy set of fairy lights wrapped around the piano, and a kitsch carpet completes the look. He also allows us a visual aid in the form of a PowerPoint presentation, a highly underrated tool in my opinion.
At times the narrative got a little lost but not enough to warrant concern. Tangential roads were walked down, especially when prompted by silly remarks or by him tripping over instruments, but Alex was able to put the evening back on track and land exactly where he anticipated. His gags were well thought out, sometimes a little on the nose, but overall laugh out loud funny.
I’d love to see what Alex does next. His work is fresh without being avant-garde, cosy to the max and the perfect way to spend a Saturday evening!