Tom Ward does his audience research at the top of the show, asking fairly mundane questions about their ages and where they live before he poses an unexpectedly pointed “Who is in an open relationship?” It's the beat before “They're aware of...” that makes it a killer joke.
There are several of those in Anthem, his new show – and first UK tour – that was a hit at this year's Edinburgh Fringe, which showcases Ward's offbeat observational comedy. He has been on the comedy circuit for a few years but his television appearances are becoming more frequent; if you can't immediately place the name, you'll remember his distinctive haircut, which he describes as “James Blunt on glue”, although it puts me in mind of Wendolene Ramsbottom from Wallace and Gromit.
Ward intersperses his stories – a broad range covering, among other things, mental health, how women civilise men, his constant search for the perfect flatmate and his past brush with bisexuality – with cleverly chosen snatches of music, which provide another level to the gags. He has some interesting things to say about class, too, and in a show with lots of direct engagement with the audience there's a running call-and-response about flatshares that echoes Blur – although it's his Morrissey impression that impresses most. Cher fans, too, will enjoy the “Believe” joke that ends the show.
He's such an engaging, laidback comic that the audience goes with him on his whimsical, sometimes surreal detours. Ward is an inventive comedian with a vivid imagination and soon I suspect people will remember him for much more than his hairstyle.
