Demi Adejuyigbe will be familiar to Starburst readers for his work on The Good Place as well as various shows on Dropout. TV. Demi Adejuyigbe Is Going To Do One (1) Backflip has easily been this year’s sold-out show at the Edinburgh Fringe; incredible word of mouth early on meant that it was pretty much a full house every day, and with very good reason.
Demi Adejuyigbe Is Going To Do One (1) Backflip is a solid mix of physical comedy, skits, personalised story-telling and a very mild amount of audience participation. Every element goes in an entirely unexpected direction, and Demi’s stagecraft, charm and wit shine out all the way through the show. It is a solid ear-to-ear grin throughout, with content that gets increasingly odd and surreal as we progress.
This stand-up comedy show is technically about Demi deciding that by accomplishing one (1) backflip, he will impress his crush. But the core gag that runs through the show is the simple truth that if you live for other people, you never really get to live for yourself, putting one’s self at risk on the off chance that a crush will immediately enter your life in a way that transforms it is inherently flawed. To put it another way, this is a stand-up show about poor decision-making and the hilarious consequences that result.
It’s a pretty core comedy conceit, but one that’s done with a great sense of fun and silliness; this is a show that, rather than having a personal journey message tacked onto the end, is, in itself, personal. But in a way that feels glib, fun and entertainingly dumb. As soon as it gets a little real, we dive into another surreal moment. There’s also some excellent use of props here, blending the absurd with the heartwarming. The pace is a little disjointed at times, but that adds to the fun.
Demi Adejuyigbe Is Going To Do One (1) Backflip is a show about discovering faith and confidence in oneself, with some of the best jokes being physical manifestations of this journey. Deeply funny.
You can find out about Demi’s future shows here.
