The announcement of Gianmarco Soresi’s current UK visit was accompanied by the sexy promo shot featured here. Anyone turning up to his shows expecting a Magic Mike-style comedian stripped to the buff onstage will be disappointed. Anyone hoping for some high-energy, pin-sharp subversive soul-baring stand-up will be delighted.

Soresi already has a massive online/podcast following which probably explained why this gig, part of his current Drama King tour, was packed and further dates have been added due to demand. And it was quickly clear to see why he is so popular. He’s got great presence, sharp and funny and quick to engage with the audience. His crowdwork, including a truly unexpected discussion about the genius of Horrible Histories, was terrific.

But there was also plenty of solid scripted material here, touching on topics ranging from the trans debate to ADHD (yes, he has it too, “formerly diagnosed by my girlfriend”)) to his relationship track record and his family history. 

He’s got, shall we say, an interesting history with his father, who, it transpires, had an interesting history with his father. The thirtysomething ponders playfully with a mix of anxiety and amusement how this will play out when he becomes a father…

Family is a recurring theme. His background is Italian and Jewish so there’s plenty of fertile territory to toy with there. And he’s certainly not your typical man-at-the-mic New York club comic. He can be animated one minute, prowling around the stage or doing a doing robot walk the next, or standing still and thoughtful taking a drink his table. He can vary the pace, from frenetic to pensive. There's a slight theatricality at times, recalling Alex Edelman's most recent set, but nothing wrong with that

There is a dark side to Soresi but clearly a fun side too. The set has plenty of conventional crowdpleasing gags such as his story about having sex in the wheelbarrow position, which reminds me of an old Jo Brand joke which had the very different punchline of “promise me you won’t go past my mum’s house.”

Soresi is a new, fresh face on this side of the pond with a sense of humour that instantly chimes with British audiences. Try and catch him at these small gigs this year. I expect he’ll be playing much bigger venues on his next tour.

Tour/Edfringe details here. 

Footnote. Or rather seven foot note. Soresi was supported by New York-based Liam Nelson, who is seven foot tall. Call Guinness World Records, he might be the world's tallest stand-up. He did a short set.

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