With razor-sharp wit and remarkable recall, Abandoman weaves captivating melodies from the messy, complicated lives of his audience—granted, some more complicated than others—to hip hop and pop tracks worthy of your Spotify playlist, if songs about folding fitted sheets and washing dishes were your kind of thing.

The magic is in the spontaneity; each night brings new punters and topics, yet Abandoman (the charming and seemingly indefatigable Rob Broderick) seamlessly spins his rhymes into sweet love songs, R&B bangers and group singalongs, much to the delight and amazement of the audience. As the crowd threw curveball after curveball, the unfathomably talented Irishman delivered. Very few artists could find a rhyme for synaesthesia with such aplomb, yet Abandoman had no trouble in crafting catchy tunes covering everything from museums to freezer doors, taking the audience on an hour-long, raucous ride.

Abandoman is more than an entertaining one-man show. Broderick is an absolute joy, exuding such charisma and warmth that you feel as though you and an over-sized tent of your closest friends are sharing stories in a safe space, set to the perfect soundtrack performed by a man and his mixer. It is clear to see why Abandoman has won a slew of awards (including Best Comedy Newcomer at the Adelaide Fringe) and headlined comedy stages across the UK.

If you have ever wished that Drake would sing about Excel spreadsheets, or have longed to laugh until your face hurts and your sides ache, get along to experience the lyrical enchantment of Abandoman. Audience participation is gently encouraged and makes the show all the more fun. Abandoman runs until 15 March and you can snap up your tickets here.

5 stars

By Leila Hallak-Low