EDINBURGH 2012: BWW Reviews: NICK MOHAMMED IS MR SWALLOW:2012, the Pleasance Courtyard, August 6

‘NICK MOHAMMED IS A CHARACTER COMEDIAN’ is the statement at the bottom of Nick Mohammed’s website - even if you do say so yourself, Mr. Mohammed! This year Nick brings his character ‘Mr Swallow’ to the fringe to perform hidden away up some stairs in the chaos that is the Pleasance courtyard.

Mr Swallow is a friendly, seemingly chaotic, character; it took some of the audience a while to realise that it was part of the show and that he wasn’t just woefully unprepared. Through the use of a projector, a whiteboard and a spot on the piano, Mr Swallow involves the audience in creative ways and it all culminates in a terrific finale...if all goes to plan. I say this as if things might go wrong but Nick is so talented that I have no doubt that it always goes to plan. 

As a man of many characters Nick would not leave Mr Swallow to have the whole show to himself, and a good thing it is too! Mr Swallow’s accountant appears in an excellent change of pace interlude that shows off Nick’s ability to play completely different characters with their own nuances and accents. The scene is in complete contrast to the rest of the show but it is a very welcome addition giving one a moment to breath.

I wouldn't want to give too much away—not that I'm sure I'd be able to—but if you do have a calculator you should bring it along as he is part comedian and part number magician. I started off with a quote from his own website so here’s one to have from this website: NICK MOHAMMED IS A GREAT CHARACTER COMEDIAN.