King offers something of a pot pourri of comedy styles: a good dollop of observational stuff, a generous helping of banter, a dash of spontaneity plus a handful of deadpan one-liners to add spice.
It means he’s not easily labelled as a stand-up of any particular style – though you might instantly peg him as slightly dour and serious in demeanour – but instead he offers something for everyone.
While the banter and anecdotes are professionally executed, they are not really his forte; the cool emotional aloofness he brings to his persona simply isn’t the most effective way of communicating this looser style of comedy.
No, it’s the one-liners that set him apart. Sparse, efficient, unexpected – and often with a delicious twinge of underlying nastiness – each one is an elegant example of perfect joke construction.
That he strings along several to make mini-routines is a bonus, producing concentrated bursts of pure comedy which can, perhaps, only be dissipated through those contrasting, slower-paced interludes. So while it might be an uneven set, the best of it is very good indeed.
