Simon Munnery's Fylm @ Gorilla, 26 Apr

Simon Munnery has never been shy about trying new things and his show Fylm is a surreal yet innovative new twist on the traditional stand-up formula. Undoubtedly though, on paper at least, his latest concept does sound a little bit strange. For the set’s duration, Munnery sits ensconced at the rear of the audience, projecting his face onstage, Wizard of Oz-style, and then intercutting this with a series of surreal skits played out using homemade cut-out props. As bizarre as it sounds, it works extremely well.

An unrelenting barrage of oddball creations and clever wordplay, Fylm jumps from sketch to sketch so rapidly that even if one doesn’t quite land, the next one soon arrives and has the audience in stitches. Among the plethora of oddities there’s the adventures of canine duo Snifflick and Woffles, a trip into the recesses of space, deleted Shakespeare scenes and even a peculiar Munnery on Munnery interview. He links these sketches together brilliantly and even throws in some witty one-liners too for good measure. The new technology is used to great effect as Munnery encourages crowd interaction via the use of a hidden camera and even at one stage gives you a sketch in full 3D. Sort of.  

It’s a hilarious mix that’s both unashamedly silly and genuinely clever. It’s not every day you find yourself in stitches watching a man explain Pythagoras’ theorem in the style of Mr T, but Munnery’s oddball charm is so infectious you can’t help but go with it. The underlying DIY aesthetic is reminiscent of Adam and Joe, and despite the projection itself being very much modern technology, it’s the low-tech cut-and-paste element of the show which makes it work. It’s an ambitious and inventive twist on a familiar format, and one that proves itself refreshingly enjoyable.

Also on the bill, Ivo Graham, a self-described Etonian ‘posh boy’, plays upon his upbringing perfectly and delivers an endearingly awkward set which covers young love, losing his virginity and most importantly, Mario Kart. This coupled with his showing at The Invisible Dot’s New Wave showcase last year have marked him as a name to look out for in the years to come.