At Chortle Fast Fringe 2010

Previewing his Edinburgh show

More Tom Allen videos

Tom Allen spent several years with the National Youth Theatre before entering comedy, winning the BBC Talent New Comedy Award in 2005 and So You Think You're Funny in 2006

Tom Allen Toughens Up!
Live Review

Tom Allen makes me reach for old-fashioned words like debonair and urbane. Blessed with crystalline enunciation and velvety, vocal warmth, he sounds as though he was born at the BBC when programmes were made only in black and white.  

Slight of build and deceptively gentle in manner, he exercises plenty of teasing charm with the audience getting them to open up before he talks about matters that people shouldn’t talk about: social embarrassment, confrontations lost, failed good deeds and advances unreciprocated.  

His apparently fragility becomes his strength as he pads through a tough world, which in Tom’s mind means taking on people with guttural voices who drop their aitches.  This isn’t snobbery or condescension; he’s showing an appreciation of almost Dickensian archetypes, which the audience immediately tune into.

He has Ronnie Corbett’s genius for digression within a story and Victoria Wood’s ear for hilariously mundane comments and platitudes and the sheer music of words.  He doesn’t  ‘do’ characters as such, apart from giving his poor mum the voice and demeanour of an Ealing Comedy hod-carrier, but his vivid narration of social situations  - a malfunctioning train lavatory, the office birthday card ritual, the impatient commuter crush, a funeral tea and more – conjure up such brilliant word pictures, crammed with eccentrics that it feels as though there have been far more people across the stage.  

His early meandering chatting with the audience made me wonder why he was wasting time doing compere duty, but he brought together the threads of every conversation and each routine with the consummate skill.   This is a show where performance, writing and content are beautifully matched. His storytelling is so delightful you want him to live a long and anecdotally rich life so you can hear him talk about it on television.  He’s would be perfect chat show material as a guest or a host.

Tom's demeanour came across as divided between Phil/Grant Mitchell's younger brother (being folically challenged at present) entwined with Kenneth Williams. Audience enjoyed your self- deprecating manner (sounds rude!) incorporated into your act. You must have the most pronounced diction (sounds rude again!) on the comedy circuit. It contributes to your act, all the more surreal and individualistic. Which entertained the audience and a complete contrast to the other comedians on the bill.

Douglas Thomson, October 2009

So funny and gorgeous.Can't wait when I can go and see his stand up show.

Sumiko, August 2009

Are you kidding me? This is the biggest pile of fucking shite I've ever seen.

CHRIS, August 2009

So I was watching the car crash that is the TNT Show and who should come on except for this dipshit. Yeah, He's funny! Putting a normal word with a swear word and making up a definition is not talent. Oh and it's just hilarious when he uses the words "Innit" and "Bitches" all the time...

God, July 2009

I'm watching 'Who is Tom Allen' on E4 and before this programme the answer was 'I haven't a clue' now I know the answer is 'a very very funny man'. Will look out for lots more from Tom. Genius.

Julie, August 2008

Oh, so so so funny. A must-see at fringe this year. Don't miss it if you value impeccably well written and delivered comedy

Sam, July 2006

Was waiting, nay hoping, for him to take off his mask and reveal himself to be funny. Never happened... Ratunta 29.11.05

Ratunta, November 2005

Really stands out, impeccably delivered set, surely an exciting future as the material grows. Richard 10.11.05

Richard, November 2005