Edinburgh Review: Tony Law – Identifies
[usr 4]
‘Tony Law Identifies what?’ I hear you ask. Well, according to Law, his show’s namesake could be referring to absolutely anything. Just pick something from the hour of madness; anything.
You can really notice a difference in Law’s onstage persona compared to previous years. From the top, he gives off the same frenetic energy that fans know and love. But Law’s own self-discipline and the structure of the material in general feels far more controlled now. This newfound stability doesn’t take anything away from the comedy itself, however, with Tony covering a characteristically broad array of topics, including time travel, performing for the Russian aristocracy with a violent chimp, and the new addition to his family: a rabbit named Woodstock.
And despite what he tells us, Law can do observational comedy, even if the things he observes are not entirely based in reality. He also utilises his aptitude for accents, dipping in and out of various dialects with such fluidity that we barely notice the transition until it’s already happened.
While last year’s show, A Lost Show, explored Law’s relationship with alcohol and the changes he’s discovered since quitting drinking, Tony’s road to sobriety doesn’t get much of a mention in this latest hour. In fact, Identifies feels as though Law has moved beyond this, and in doing so he invites his audience to really get to know other parts of him.
Perhaps it’s unsurprising, then, that it’s the material about his home life that is most pleasing, as audiences rarely get this glimpse into the everyday Tony, who is a husband, father and pet owner. The way his eyes light up when he talks about his beloved German Shepherd, Wolfy, could stir even the coldest of hearts.
Identifies is a highly energised hour of whimsical observation from a true absurdist comedy powerhouse. Catch the show at Monkey Barrel 3 at 12.15pm throughout August.
