For Sale. Dead Dog. Never Worn Review

A picture of his own failings and those of society in general

A cheerful cafe on a bright summer afternoon may not be Ed Mulvey’s usual performance space, or his venue of choice. Perhaps a dimly-lit pub back room, where the punters have been mellowed by a few beers and he is one of a line-up of similarly off-beat comics might have been more to his liking. But as his act progresses, the impression given by this low-key and rather apologetic comedian, is that maybe he finds himself out of sync almost anywhere; in fact that appears to be his USP.

In the fine tradition of artists who wallow nihilistically in the depths of disillusion and at times depravity, he presents a picture of his own failings and those of society in general, eliciting sympathy and shock in equal measure, and some laughter. Ed is the type of comic whose throw-away one-liners can be outrageous and challenging, assuming that his audience can gauge his true opinions on the subjects covered. 

Ed Mulvey's persona is at times gangly, awkward teenager, and at others world-weary cynic. He tells us endearingly that yes, believe it or not, he does have a girlfriend, one of the few glimmers of optimism in the whole set. The audience responds with cheerful applause.  In the words of another famous comic, Ed Mulvey has given the impression that he wouldn't want to be in a club that would have him as a member, but grudgingly admits, finally, that maybe there is a point to this tedious life after all.