Words: Rosie Hall
Photo Credit: Beth Moar

3 stars

Ayo Adenekan has been touted by many as a fresh and exciting new voice on the Scottish comedy scene, and his debut hour Black Mediocrity has all the hallmarks of a comedian in the process of honing his craft and developing a distinct signature style.

Adenekan takes the audience on a journey recounting his youth and early 20s and exploring his identity as a Black, Scottish, bisexual man. Topics span wildly from Xbox Live, to 16-25 railcards, to having a crisis in his local wee shop. Through it all, he demonstrates a penchant for repetition, building up to what feels like an inevitable
punchline that is turned on its head at the last minute – the casting of his primary school nativity is a particular highlight. Admittedly, the zig-zagging between these sections of material sometimes feels frenetic, the linking a little haphazard and disjointed. His stage presence, too, doesn’t yet have the confidence and assuredness of a seasoned comic, and the strength of the material loses a little shine as a result. Still, his callbacks are strong and crowdwork, though limited, is cheeky and fun.

More than anything, though, Adenekan is likeable and breezily charming, and this really is what reels the audience in – whether he is recounting micro-aggressions at the barber or squint-eye surgery, he works the crowd with ease. There is certainly something to be said for his ability to incorporate a Red Bull sponsorship into the set whilst both retaining audience favour and making them laugh. As debut shows go, Black Mediocrity maybe lacks polish, but is certainly a strong start.

Ayo Adenekan: Black Mediocrity
CabVol 2 at Monkey Barrel Comedy
13.30
30th July – 24th August