Mat Ewins: Mat Ewins Will Make You A Star

The conceit of Mat Ewins's whirligig of an hour is that he's a successful Hollywood actor hosting a seminar to pass on tricks of the trade. But this narrative matters little, functioning merely to tie together a string of knockabout gags involving a host of manipulated imagery projected onto a screen. Some of these are reworkings of famous movies, while some involve members of the audience. All are delivered at breathtaking speed, and this really funny show whips through its spectacle of gags leaving little time for a roaring audience to catch its breath.

Ewins himself appears a nervous and edgy performer, but this belies his evidently quick and inventive brain. Indeed, he starts the show hiding in a recess, intending not to reveal himself for the first twenty minutes. The subsequent introductory video which kickstarts the gig proper is the funniest I've ever seen. And the computer-manipulated imagery flows ceaselessly from then on, with parodies of blockbusters, a convincing summary of the pros and cons of improv, and recurring gags about Ewins's family tree. But funny videos only you get you so far, and there's skill here in making what is clearly a complex technical exercise look off-the-cuff and throwaway.

Does all this add up to anything? Not really. But that matters little, given how funny, inventive and breakneck it all is. This is a delightfully ramshackle show, in the best spirit of homemade silliness.