French Elvis impersonators, salacious drag queens, and potato dauphinoise: Ed Gamble live at Warwick Arts Centre

Our early adult life is one full of constant change and fluctuation. For most of us, we struggle to reckon with the twists, turns and expectations of adulthood, trying to find our feet as the grown-ups we once looked up to, yet still recognising ourselves as the children we were within. Ed Gamble is no different.

Gamble proved why he has become one of the most recognisable names on the British comedy circuit

On Sunday 26th May, the charming and likeable comedian, known for his regular appearances on British television shows such as Mock the Week and Taskmaster, in addition to hosting his hit podcast Off-Menu alongside James Acaster, took to the Warwick Arts Centre stage with his new tour Hot Diggity Dog. Thankfully, the riotous show is a smoking hit.

Such a sense of perspective and self-awareness is one which lights up the audience

In a packed Butterworth Hall, Gamble proved why he has become one of the most recognisable names on the British comedy circuit, leaving the audience in stitches with his relatable, yet outlandish anecdotes of navigating adult married life. From a calamitous honeymoon in Vegas, all the way to becoming a self-proclaimed ‘cat-dad’, Gamble’s routine centres itself on the changes we all undergo as we take on the absurdities of adulthood. As he observes, everything he originally mocks in his comedy, he seems to become three years later, whether that be parents obsessed with their children or indeed, with their air-fryer. Such a sense of perspective and self-awareness is one which lights up the audience, no doubt recognising themselves in Ed’s silly and childish instincts which rise to the surface when faced with the various mundane hurdles of adult life.

It is precisely this, Ed’s unique, colourful, and outlandish perspective on the mundane, which holds the key to the show’s success. Perhaps best evident in the raucous segment on his more than eventful Las Vegas honeymoon trip, Ed takes the audience on a glorious tour of the City of Sin through detailing his hilarious encounters with its charismatic residents, including having his vows renewed by a dodgy Elvis impersonator, whose accent has the tendency to slip into French, and turning down the advancements of a particularly salacious drag queen. The audience are in stitches as Ed’s dry and prudish middle-class demeanour clashes with the larger-than-life personalities of Nevada’s most infamous city, many of which amused by the English comic’s surname (Gamble!).

The razor-sharp Chloe Petts delivers an exceptional warmup performance which served as the perfect appetiser to Gamble’s main course

This irreverence in his set continues as he explores the trials and tribulations of domestic married life, most notably his attempts to connect with his local neighbours and to become a master-chef in his own kitchen, both of which inevitably end in chaos. Gamble colourfully brings to life the absurd characters in his street WhatsApp group-chat, including one gentleman who ignites furore in the neighbourhood by sharing photos of a plumber doing the unthinkable in the middle of the street… the less said the better. Another incident involving an attempt at making potato dauphinoise which results in a trip to A&E leaves the audience in hysterics, breaking into applause at multiple points to honour Ed’s brilliant timing, quick wit, and impactful punchlines, weaved in and returned to throughout the performance to great effect.

Praise shouldn’t just be heralded at Ed however, with the razor-sharp Chloe Petts delivering an exceptional warmup performance which served as the perfect appetiser to Gamble’s main course. Petts playfully and effortlessly bounced off the audience in exactly the way a support act should, ripping into unsuspecting members of the front row and rousing the auditorium with engaging material about her love for football and the cheap thrills she gets from being a masculine presenting lesbian. Her marvellous routine set up the evening faultlessly and suggested to many that she will no doubt grace the stages of the UK with her own tour sooner or later.

Hot Diggity Dog was ultimately just that: tasty, spicy, and sizzling. Ed’s meaningful and authentic observations on the absurdities of modern adult life were delightful and delicious, leaving the audience licking their lips for more and more. As Ed embarks further on his silly and joyous exploration of adulthood, the Warwick Arts Centre will be waiting eagerly at the table for whatever he decides to cook up next – hopefully with a better outcome than his potato dauphinoise.

5 STARS.

Due to popular demand, Ed Gamble will be returning to Warwick Arts Centre with the same show on 16th November 2024. Book tickets here.