Dale Elliott Jr might be a Jamaica-born Los Angeles resident but he appeared completely at home in Soho Theatre Walthamstow last night. A packed house, including a hefty contingent of local fans with Caribbean roots, ensured that he was in a relaxed frame of mind as soon as he walked on flanked by a camera team shooting his smartphone-lit entrance.
Elliott is the latest in a wave of comics making the transition to onstage stardom from online fame, where his followers include Usain Bolt and Snoop Dogg. Two years into a stand-up career and things are clearly going well, with his current Son Of An Immigrant tour taking in a chunk of Europe before heading back to North America.
And it was quickly easy to see why this passionate Arsenal fan is building up a substantial in-the-flesh following. He is still in his twenties but has a punchy, assured style, animated when he needs to be, but also controlled, able to slow the pace in more thoughtful, considered moments.
At his best he delivers a persuasive, entertaining blend of relatable humour and origin story. Sometimes, however, the material could be more original. The first half of his set in particular traded on familiar comedic terrain, from how to respond when confronted by a great white shark (just in case it happens to you, remember to tweak its nose) to a crude account of an uncle going through the indignity of a prostate examination.
But this crowd-pleasing approach functioned effectively as a way of building up trust with his audience and it worked, allowing him to embark on personal anecdotes that were more about storytelling and less about low hanging fruit punchlines.
He really hit his stride talking about his Kingston childhood and being brought up by his grandparents. The house was so crowded there was a rigid bathroom schedule. Miss your timeslot at your peril. A neat call back found him recalling an embarrassing incident when he had to clench his buttocks every bit as tightly as his prostate examination-resistant relative.
Towards the end Elliott embarked on an extended recollection from his schooldays when he found himself in a police cell. He painted a vivid picture of household members playing good cop and bad cop during his brief incarceration, with a mix of tough love, red tape and tardiness meaning that he was behind bars for much longer than expected.
The tale does have a happy conclusion though, with Elliott bonding with his family and learning some important life lessons. And onstage he is still learning too. He is not a perfect comedian yet, but this well-travelled performer is clearly going places.
Son Of An Immigrant by Dale Elliot Jr is also at Indigo at the 02 July 5, and touring. Tickets and information here.
