Milton Jones

Tim Vine Syndrome (TVS) is a well known affliction for ‘one-liner’ comedians. It occurs when a comedian has so much material, that not all of it can possibly be good. This is true of all comedians, but especially those who specialise in puns and one-liners: because they have so many more jokes than those who indulge in sketches and stories, their hit:miss ratio is much more subject to scrutiny.

Milton Jones (he of loud shirted Mock the Week fame) is obviously a man who has studied his craft. He neatly sidesteps the main cause of TVS – specialising in one method of delivery – by incorporating prop work, character comedy, audience interaction, anecdotes and a tiny bit of slapstick into his performance. While the one-liners are still the main bread and butter of the show (‘Similies – what are they like?’), we’re equally amused by his Milton’s Grandfather warm-up act and his series of flipchart illustrations.

The show is nothing transcendent – no great stabs are made larger meanings or messages – but it’s a pleasant enough way to spend an evening.