Ivo Graham's latest show, Orange Crush, promises either his best standup set or a colour-coordinated breakdown. At 34, the comedian has ditched his trademark shy self-abasement for diss tracks and political commentary, even if the set is inspired by his fondness for the colour orange. The hour-long show riffs on everything from Wotsits and Irn-Bru to his mother's multiple sclerosis and his campaign to save Swindon Town football club.
Graham is bracingly outspoken on Palestine, to which cause he lends his support. This newfound suavity and rebranding as simply 'Ivo' marks a departure from the compelling but perhaps less fun persona of his earlier years. While he hasn't entirely grown out of awkwardness, the show's stories loop around reveals of his favourite orange things, including a mishap on a Lime bike and a thwarted plan to pester Nick Hornby at a VIP dinner.
Some audience interactions are clunky, but a cocky visual gag offsets any Orange Order anxieties among the Scottish crowd. Graham's material comparing himself to his humbler namesakes, including rapper Drake (full name: Aubrey Drake Graham), is particularly funny, as is a gag about a careers fair at his Eton school. However, much of the show prompts smiles rather than belly laughs, with the tale of filming a video for his save Swindon campaign feeling too removed from the stage. It's not a career best, but there are flashes of Graham in glorious Technicolor.
