If the apocalypse is on its way, David Mills will help us go out in style. His slick Edinburgh show Focus People! occupies a vital niche at this fringe as it exists in stark contrast to other social commentaries permeating through this festival that can often ramble and feel aimless. Thankfully, Focus People! offers a concise antidote by unpacking modern life’s peculiarities with David’s trademark incisive and unique wit that will make us feel ‘dynamite’.
Thanks to his honed, expertly crafted and laugh-out-loud comedy, he is able to provide a transatlantic take on the world that speaks to every single audience member. He draws the audience in to the point they feel extremely comfortable (so much so, a couple of audience members bizarrely attempted a 1:1 conversation with David after the show’s initial interactions had finished – a sure sign that everyone wants to be David’s friend, too?!)
We are lured into the topics of publicity, (the countless festivals and fringes at the fringe that feel impossible to contemplate – thank goodness we focused and found our way to David’s show) celebrity, Brexit, Trump, Meghan Markle, Hollywood dementia and houseplants. We’re also reminded about what Brits are great at. After Brexit takes us back to the stone age, we can get back to important and innovative things like rolling cheese down grassy hills and arranging stones in a circle.
What sets David’s comedy apart is its assured style and class (which also happens to be non existent in our current political institutions). He makes the audience sit up in their seats and contemplate what else they haven’t considered through the eyes of David Mills.
The staging is simple and iconic. David simply sits on a stool in a sharp suit and delivers jokes at a pace that he dictates to build a tension that he’s in complete control of. If this is the end of the world, it’s certainly a beautiful and sparkling finale. Maybe we’re going to be OK after all?
