MC Hammersmith seems like an unlikely kind of rapper – white, Southern English (hence the show title), private school-educated, and admittedly nerdy. However, what impresses is his sheer ability to turn any audience contribution into a fully-fledged showcase of his rapping skills, from lengthy, borderline-unpronounceable words, to cringy dating anecdotes.
Hammersmith’s seemingly-endless energy and magnetic stage presence keep the audience constantly engaged and laughing throughout, which helps him to pull off the types of audience participation that would intimidate a less confident comedian. From an audience member-assisted backflip to an impromptu date, Hammersmith dives in to these situations enthusiastically without ever letting the pace slacken, ensuring that the audience and his participants are fully on his side regardless of the context.
It’s this willingness to go the distance with his audience that makes him stand out as an improv comedian as well as enabling him to gain their trust. This pays off at the conclusion, where Hammersmith gets the whole audience to take part using their phones, ensuring that no-one is left out and receiving unanimous support in return.
‘Straight Outta Brompton’ is an excellent showcase for Hammersmith’s high-energy performances that also gives the audience a chance to shine. Hammersmith himself uses his charismatic and self-effacing stage presence to great effect. The audience input also results in a different show every day, so the element of surprise is always maintained!
‘Straight Outta Brompton’ runs until Sun 27 Aug 2023 at Monkey Barrel 1 at 12:30