Mat Ewins: Retrospective: Always Be Comedy: Online: 2020
Mat Ewins is be one of the comic-finds of the year and was a truly inspired act. He played Always Be Comedy Online in July 2020 and his show Retrospective was inspired and unique. From his home, he created a bizarre and hysterical world using film and TV video clips interwoven with his sketch and comedy ideas. The parody trailers made by Ewins and his comedy mates, including Mark Olver, John Kearns, Lolly Adefope and Fin Taylor were hilarious and well made. Ewins reminded me of an enthusiastic Stephen Merchant as he excitedly introduced and pressed buttons to start the next video. At times, the software kept breaking down which added confusion and comedy.
The highlight of the show for me was that I was invited from the audience to play Ewins’ online horror video game which involved controlling characters around an old church yard collecting coins so that the church roof could be mended. I was told that the only way the characters could move was by screaming loudly at my computer screen which I had to do for a long time with hysterical results. It was a wonderful idea for comedy and in all my years of watching comedy, having to do this was one of the most unusual, funny, and memorable things I have ever been asked to do.
Ewins was a very genial host to an outstanding, distinctive, and extremely humorous show and I look forward to seeing him again soon even if I have lost my voice from screaming!