Myq Kaplan review: All Killing Aside delivers flights of fancy at breakneck speed

It makes a critic’s life immeasurably easier when a performer succinctly describes their own show during the performance. At one point New York-based comic Myq Kaplan compares his show All Killing Aside to the film Inception, because of the way it constantly folds in on itself.

This is a helpful way of gaining a foothold on Kaplan’s tightly written interlinked set, which runs from straightforward, culture-mocking gags about the best way to avoid listening to Nickelback’s music to unapologetically complex ideas about the big bang.

Everything comes out at breakneck speed and at times one has to concentrate to stay on board. But it does pay dividends as Kaplan reflects on how small humanity is in the cosmic scheme of things. He also recalls taking hallucinogenic drugs with a shaman and there are certainly some mind-expanding moments here. Fortunately, for every fruity-looped flight of fancy there is an accessible observation, as he spools out puns based on the word “gnocchi” or wonders if Kanye is the world’s “dumbest genius” because he can rap better than he can speak.

It might look as if he is pinballing off at tangents, but he always returns to routines and rounds them off with a punchline.

This is not for all tastes, but if you enjoy self-aware stand-up that combines film references with quips about free speech, gun crime and spaghetti sauce, All Killing Aside could have been written just for you.

Until March 2 (020 7478 0100, sohotheatre.com)