With his material supposedly hampered by the snap general election, satirical poet Elvis McGonagall digs deep to deliver his musings on the state of our nation. Whether it’s because of the events of 4 July or not, his work struggles a bit for relevancy, despite McGonagall’s charm and skill as a poet.

Thumbing through his poetry collection, McGonagall jumps from one political subject to the next with exuberance. On the one hand, this gives a playful intimacy to things, like being at the pub with a quick-witted and opinionated mate. On the other hand, the performance sags with the lack of any throughline. It doesn’t help that a lot of his work feels a bit dated: it’s four years on from the 2020 lockdown, so do we really need more reflections on that or Boris Johnson?

McGonagall is undoubtedly a talented wordsmith and buoyant speaker. While the show might lack urgency, his talent and personality pull through, making for a fun, yet ultimately unmemorable afternoon. 

Elvis McGonagall: Gin & Catatonic, Gilded Balloon Patter House, until 25 August, 12.20pm.