Olver: Portrait Of A Serial Killer

Review by Kate Russell | 02 Sep 2011

The lights are dimmed. The flickering of static on TV screens is the only light. A typewriter waits solitary at a table. This is the eerie setting for the confessions of Mark Olver – a real life serial killer. Or so he says.

Part dramatic theatre, part fantastic stand-up, part tennis ball target practice, this show has the audience marvelling at lyrical prose one moment, groaning at brilliant puns the next, and laughing seriously hard throughout. And thinking about murder, of course.

Though he often seems to take the scenic route (by his own admission, he is tired of the script after almost a month of it), the show doesn’t suffer for it. Incredibly skilled at audience interaction, he seems to revel in this aspect, discussing everything from murder weapons, to tribbing, to BB guns. It is great to see him giggle at rude words before he launches back into his craft.

Olver is the king of similies and the master of puns, no matter what Dave’s worst joke list says. If ever you’ve felt the blood boil, seen the red mist, or been frightened by a clown, you’ll love this.

A cool concept and a brilliant show.

Olver: Portrait of a Serial Killer, Just The Tonic @ The Caves, 15.35, £7