Jonno @ Monkey Barrel Comedy
SNL UK head writer Jonno is clearly a studied master of comedy, but his goal for this debut solo Fringe show never fully reveals itself
Here Comes Mr Funny opens with a romantic ode to watching your office lover sticking their hand up the backside of a camel; that's how Jonno establishes his absurdist tone early on. From relationships, encountering stand-up late in life and overcoming his issues with avoidance, there’s plenty of themes that this debut solo show could be about.
It’s obvious from the get-go that Jonno is a student of comedy. There’s an understanding of the different tools and techniques from which a routine can produce humour, and a desire to circumvent these traditions. He breaks the fourth wall, gives long-winded Stewart Lee-style routines deliberately withholding a punchline, and uses pithy asides that butt against the audience. Amongst this, there’s serious ruminations on his inability to maintain relationships, big theatrical show numbers and snappy one-liners to keep you on your toes.
As the head writer on Saturday Night Live UK, there’s no doubt that Jonno knows how to write comedy. Meticulously derailing and sabotaging his routines, playfully misdirecting the laugh and toying with the mechanics of stand-up, this feels like an intelligent hour constructed for comedians. And having fronted the award-winning sketch group Sheeps, there’s also no argument that Jonno knows how to perform.
The only recurring flicker of uncertainty is in what performer Jonno is trying to be now. He parodies improvised rap comedy, school plays and crowd work, implements storytelling devices with aplomb and showcases his musicianship, but he never feels settled in what he’s delivering. Certain tropes play out without payoff, caricatures are skated over before being fleshed out enough to be funny, and his love of different genres end up clashing against each other, leaving the show feeling messy and sporadic.
The show’s surrealism is fleeting, its sarcasm is only slight and campiness sparing; within it, none of the flavours fully come to fruition. There are moments of greatness, including his James Bond medleys, but we never linger on any of them long enough for full impact. Though it delivers trays full of appetisers from an artist clearly familiar with his ingredients, Here Comes Mr Funny falters before delivering a cohesive menu.
Jonno: Here Comes Mr Funny, Monkey Barrel Comedy (MB2), until 30 Aug (not 17), 7.10pm, £15.50/£14.50