Glaswegian comic Christopher Macarthur-Boyd begins his show with cracking audience patter welcoming in latecomers without making a big thing about it before segueing into his main material. It’s a sign that, despite his assertions later in the show, this twenty-five year old who’s just moved out of his parents’ house and has to Google events that took place in 1995 for a punchline is already a confident professional.
Boyd does reference his youth through jokes about getting his own place for the first time, with a mention of his move to Partick getting a big response from a group of Partick residents in the audience. It leads to an inspired bit about ordering drinks in a trendy cafe, which manages to skewer hipster culture without veering off into a one-sided rant about gentrification. Material about Boyd having to buy off-brand cereal allows him to take the audience on an inspired and darkly humorous journey through the world of knockoff cereal characters. It’s these sections of the show that showcase Boyd’s ability to take a mundane subject and do more than just mine it for simple observational comedy.
Even the setback of noise leaking over from the musical taking place in the adjoining room doesn’t throw Boyd off. It’s something he’s already used to, to the extent that he notes that he’s already worked it into his show and returns to it as a running joke – something comedians twice his age would have difficulties pulling off.
Not all of Macarthur-Boyd’s jokes work quite so well, with gags about the smart meter from hell and his dodgy sofa not landing as smoothly. Nevertheless, Macarthur-Boyd is one of the most promising talents coming out of Scotland right now, and this confidently-delivered show is further evidence that this young comedian is honing his craft and becoming a name to look out for.