Alun Cochrane: Moments of Alun

Alun Cochrane likes picking up on the little oddities in life. He finds it difficult to lose himself in ostensibly fun activities enjoyed by most people. In his own words, he can't help but "see through the bullshit that you untalented people like". Well, if you spend most of the day on the couch you need to hold onto something to keep up the self-esteem.

Ironic gloating aside, Cochrane's observations truly are top-notch. His capacity to elevate the mundane and the strange into coherent 15 or 20-minute set pieces attests to a natural comic talent. There is good reason why this man's stock has been rising in recent years.

Tellingly, as Cochrane frets over paying off his mortgage on a new house, he complains that he is likely to be locked into life as a touring standup for the next 25 years. The problem is that he's not sure he can be professionally funny for that long. A stadium tour would come in handy, he says, but his brand of comedy is too whimsical, too domestic.

One respectfully disagrees. The appeal of observational humour like Cochrane's is universal; one need only look to the stellar success of Michael McIntyre and John Bishop to see that. With his blend of charm, wit and warmth, Cochrane has a Stand audience of all ages and backgrounds—from early twenties to late sixties, from eager office worker to cynical reviewer—eating out the palm of his hand. With the right luck, there's no reason why Cochrane couldn't sell out Wembley in the not too distant future.