Tim Key's new Edinburgh Fringe show, Loganberry, is an exquisitely tart and amusing take on the midlife crisis show. The comedian, known for his work with Carey Mulligan, plays the underdog with a twinkling ironic tease, inviting the audience to wonder how lonely, furious, insecure – and indeed how old – he really is.
The trigger for his descent into forty-something angst is an invitation from sports presenter Gabby Logan to appear on her podcast about middle age. Key is outraged at the implication, retreating from the microphone throughout the show to bellow at the rough justice he receives from life, the world and his uncomprehending public.
In trademark rumpled suit and greying hair, Key prowls the stage, circling questions of age, self-worth, his celebrity status and singleton life. Structure is provided by an account of time spent in a cafe, struggling to write another 58-minute concert for his demanding fans. Greg Rusedski pops in, sending Key into raptures.
Key's total command of his unique style is evident throughout. The scrambled signifiers of high and low status, the smiling sinister relationship with his crowd, the ambient background music, and the banal-beautiful haiku that punctuate the set all contribute to a blissfully funny experience. He may be lighting up cinemas, but here Key casts playful shadows over that glamorous public life.
