Andrew Hunter Murray, comedy review: Oddballs and nerdy wordplay

Andrew Hunter Murray has a blossoming portfolio comedy career.

He is already a member of chart-topping podcasting geeks No Such Thing as a Fish and acclaimed improvisers Austentatious. Now he breaks out with this debut character-based show, Round One.

The set-up is a pub quiz with Hunter Murray as nerdy — no stretch there — quizmaster Tony Rebozo. Wry references are made to earlier events that have gone pear-shaped. Safety is paramount, he reassures us. There will be no repeat of last year’s calamitous practical challenge, “Can you put out a chip pan fire?”

First prize is a shop-soiled tombstone supplied by the funeral director sponsor. Between questions Rebozo disappears and Hunter Murray emerges as further oddballs. Brazilian dance instructor Arturo Flame gets the audience pumped up with his seated samba class — be prepared to hold your neighbour’s hand. Estate agent Elwood Winkforth tries to calm tenants about a bee infestation. And a book club talk is delivered entirely in rhyme.

Hunter Murray is clearly strong on wordplay, but his characterisation lags behind. There is little subtlety here, though to his credit he showed admirable restraint resisting the urge to don medallions as Latino love god Flame. A back story about Tony splitting from his partner, scowling scorekeeper Angie, is drip-fed during proceedings, adding an emotional arc.

Essentially, however, this is a throwaway fun night out — never dull, never intellectually taxing and often very funny. Play your cards right and you could even take home a tombstone. One previous owner.