Rob Auton had a taste of fame in 2013 when his gag — “I heard a rumour that Cadbury is bringing out an oriental chocolate bar. Could be a Chinese Wispa” — was voted the funniest joke of the Edinburgh Fringe.
While the young comic was chuffed, corny wordplay is not his usual style and The Talk Show, a profound piece about what makes us human, is more typical.
The long-haired Yorkshireman sets out to explore the nature of communication, from a cheery “all right, mate” to something much deeper. What are we really saying when we chat to our mum? What would a leaf say if it could speak?
This absorbing work ranges from the serious to the poetic and is peppered with pithy aperçus, suggesting that maybe his prize-winning confectionary quip was no fluke. We never used to apologise for going into a tunnel before mobiles, he observes — and then he illustrates his point with a beautifully compact verbal sketch.
Auton sometimes consults notes because words are too important to misuse. He incrementally becomes more emotionally charged, building to a heartwarming clarion call for universal connection that has everyone shouting in unison.
From a Wispa to a scream.
Until Saturday May 25 (020 7478 0100, sohotheatre.com)
