I didn't know what to expect from this show as I didn't get around to seeing Nick's debut at last year's Fringe. In the year since, I have become more aware of him as he has made a few TV appearances, perhaps most notably in the Reggie Perrin remake where Nick plays a likeable if slightly obsequious underling.
So as the show title suggests this is character comedy where Nick assumes the role of Mr Swallow, memory coach. He starts by teaching us how to recall a shopping list and the humour comes from the character's shambolic attempts to impart his knowledge. Although he must have been at least slightly successful because I can still recall the list 24 hours later as I write this.
At one point Nick/Mr Swallow memorises the sequence of an entire deck of cards in seconds and recalls the exact order. This left the audience astounded. It really was either an impressive magic trick or more impressively still, the real thing and I believe it was the latter. You wonder whether the show was conceived around this stunning party piece.
Despite the lighthearted and brash nature of the character, a lot of the humour is surprisingly subtle and I could probably sit through the show again and still find new laughs. One of the top few shows that I've seen at this year's fringe, this was a really enjoyable hour.
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