We sent our reviewer James to watch Alex Prescot: Cosy

From a bright sunny morning outside in Bristo Square to a bright sunny morning beneath it. Alex Prescot’s cosy vibe hits you as soon as you walk into the room. Gently greeting the crowd with an upbeat piano tune and the biggest smile from his Year 13 leaver’s book, the audience are immediately made to feel welcome and at ease – particularly when the cushions start being dished out.

This becomes a lovely recurrent riff and sets up the format for the rest of the show – some set pieces, some semi-scripted bits, and a good deal of delightful fully improvised moments, all wrapped in a fuzzy hug of a musical show. There is plenty of audience interaction, but it is always supportive and consensual with participants made to feel like heroes not villains. There was always a gentle undercurrent of giggling rumbling through the room which on many occasions burst into joyous laugh-out-loud moments.

The ostensible hook around which the piece is built is Prescot having lost his erstwhile comedy double-act partner, Nick, who has left for Australia. Whilst the whole drive of the show is obviously towards cosy, Nick’s desertion also allows space for a little performative bitterness and resentment. Coupled with the nature of improvisation meaning that Prescot sometimes lightly flirts with the risqué and the occasional four-letter word, the resulting piece has enough gentle bite to prevent it straying too far into being saccharine.

Prescot is clearly a seasoned improviser who knows how to handle a room and follow the fun. An unexpected answer from an audience member during a semi-scripted song gave us an entirely different additional song about ‘Front or back’, tongue firmly in cheek, and one of the highlights of the show. Additionally, when a conversation with an audience member accidentally drifted into slightly heavier territory than was intended – a business partner having stolen the person’s company – Prescot was able to deftly juggle the levity and give us a rousing ‘f’ you song to beat away those blues.Despite

Despite all the hygge, the stand out pre-written song for me was a piece about Prescot’s neighbour which carries a subtle melancholic tone. I would have liked a few more changes of pace like this, but then again, that’s not this show. It sets out to be warm and fuzzy and delightful and it very much achieves this.

Cosy is a great early lunch shout to get your afternoon Fringing off to a wholesome, hilarious, hygge-ful start.

RATING: **** 4 Stars

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