Anthony Irvine (born 17 February 1951), also known as the Iceman and aim, is a British performance artist and visual artist.^[2][3]

As the Iceman, his act is to creatively melt large blocks of ice^[4][5][6] while talking to the audience over a soundtrack of tightly-looped music^[7] and sound effects.^[8][9] His methods of attempting to melt the ice include breath, salt and a blowtorch.^[10][11] He might also sing songs, make puns, attempt to release a rubber duck from inside the block of ice,^[12] or sell photographs of the ice to the audience.^[13]

In the 1980s and '90s, he performed at notable alternative comedy venues including Cluub Zarathustra^[14][15] and Malcolm Hardee's Tunnel Club as well as the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.^[16][17][18] In 2007, he performed at the Hackney Empire in a tribute show to the late Malcolm Hardee.^[19] In 2011 he performed at the Royal Festival Hall.^[20]

He is often cited by Stewart Lee as a legend of alternative comedy^[21][22][23] and by Jo Brand as a favourite act of the 1980s.^[24] Lee dedicates his epic poem about stand-up comedy, "I'll Only Go if you Throw Glass," to notable 1980s performers including the Iceman.^[25]

In 1995, Irvine appeared in Peter Chelsom's film Funny Bones.^[26][27] In the same year, he shared the Edinburgh Tapwater Award with Malcolm Hardee and Charlie Chuck.^[28]

Since 2014, he has produced art brut paintings under the name aim.^[29][30] 2023 saw his first solo art show at Guggleton Farm Arts in Dorset.^[31]

In 2022, Irvine published an ice-related children's book called Lockdown Melter.^[32]

The Iceman is the subject of a 2023 book released by Go Faster Stripe called Melt it! The Book of the Iceman.^[33][34] As a result, he appeared on Richard Herring's Leicester Square Theatre Podcast.^[35] There is also a film in production based on the book.^[36]

References

External links

• Iceblocked The Iceman's official website
• Anthony Irvine at IMDb
• Anthony Irvine interviewed on C86 Podcast