A Review of Ollie Horn: Comedy For Toxic People

I first became aware of Ollie Horn a couple of months ago, being sent his name along with a message letting me know he’d been to my college. It’s one of those things that happens a little too regularly when you’re an Oxford student, people always being able to point out names in whatever industry you’re entering and letting you know you’re following in the footsteps of others; on a well trodden path. However, to be able to turn around to my best friend and say ‘look here’s a non traditional career path for you’ was a nice feeling (both Horn and the friend in question having studied law at Jesus). Because really how can you get further from Jurisprudence in the city of spires than by sitting in a yurt in Edinburgh on a windy evening watching someone embody male toxicity?

With a ticket booked before I even arrived at Fringe, I’d done my research and knew to a certain extent what I was walking into. By contrast, the unsuspecting friends I dragged with me were horrified by the first few minutes of the set… until they figured out that the whole thing was one big joke. If anything is testament to someone’s performance skills, it’s being mistaken for being genuinely a f*ck boy. Because, yes, this was the premise for the evening’s entertainment: a toxic man in search of a wife. With an ample dollop of audience interaction (which had this audience member hiding behind her notebook), a series of bits and even some singing, it was a show which kept the audience in stitches throughout.

The dedication to the role was clear to see, from the vaping to the costume; however, it wasn’t until a break in character that Horn made it clear the lengths he had gone to for the costume – telling a story about his jewellery shopping trip. These breaks in character appeared quite frequently and were clearly not a part of the show, yet even then there was a focus on making these moments entertaining. Horn was incredibly aware of the potential impact of these asides, even saying ‘how to derail a show that was never on track’. And while, as a result, the show felt like it had to rush a little to reach its conclusion, it did not detract from the overall performance. Perhaps it would have been nice to see again so as to truly appreciate the set, but this is live theatre and this is how it goes.

This was a piece of art that determinedly saw how far it could push things, leaning into stereotypes and behaviours that many find repellant in order to find their comedic value. The small and intimate venue of the yurt was perfect for a comedy set, allowing Horn to interact with the audience and work off the laughter with ease. Moreover, the packed seats were an excellent indication of the success of the run. As someone who has an acquired taste in comedy and actively tries to avoid reviewing it as I feel like I know next to nothing about the craft, I can only say that it was a cleverly thought-out piece of performance that benefited from the decision to adopt a persona rather than simply relying on a series of short content. If comedic work is judged by laughter, there is no denying that this was a successful show.

Image with gratitude to the Fringe Society