There’s a style of stage performer that isn’t quite a stand-up comedian or a stage magician. Tom Crosbie is a memory man, someone who uses stagecraft and feats of incredible mental acuity to wow and impress audiences. The unique thing about Tom is that he’s also rather humble about his remarkable skills. As the name of the show suggests, he’s a nerd, and a very nice one at that.
I Came, I Saw, I Conq-Nerd is essentially an hour with a chap who has spent years developing incredible skills with absolutely no practical purpose. We see very well-scrambled Rubik’s cubes solved in seconds, card stunts that rely on memory rather than deceit and one of the oddest games of Connect Four we’ve ever tried.
The version of the show STARBURST saw was still in preview; a couple of the kinks hadn’t been ironed out (though they have now), and these peculiarities showed just how clever (and nerdy) Tom actually is; there’s no trick here, just raw talent.
More importantly, Tom Crosbie’s friendly, welcoming charm shines through here. This is a nice family show in which we meet a warm and intelligent man who is excited to show the world exactly how much of a nerd he is. This is someone with incredible mental strength who loves how complicated and interesting the world is and wants to share it with as many folks as possible.
If cards, Rubik’s cubes, games, and silly facts aren’t your thing, then this show isn’t for you, but for those of us with a sense of scientific wonder and curiosity, you’ll love this. If you’re the sort of person who needs a good puzzle to start your day or enjoys being able to quote obscure facts and texts, this one is for you. This is a warm hug of a show, a celebration of exercising the mind for the sake of it. Simply amazing.
You can book for his 2024 Edinburgh Fringe show here , and find out more about Tom here.
