Fringe comedy reviews: Dane Buckley: Darling | Andrew White: What a Life! | Rob Auton: JUPITER+ more
Our latest batch of Fringe comedy reviews includes a beguiling debut, a generous and moving hour about the loss of loved ones, and an inspiring plea from an outer space estate agent.
Dane Buckley: Darling ★★★★
Pleasance Courtyard (Venue 33) until 30 August
Although already fairly well established in comedy, Dane Buckley beguiles with his Fringe debut, an enjoyable hour of easy storytelling that takes the form of a fond tribute to the women in his life.
A white-passing, cheerily camp Indian-Irishman, raised in north-west London without his tomcat Asian father, Buckley is nevertheless in touch with both sides of his heritage, not least as his sisters are more desi in appearance than he is.
Perpetually fudging his birth year, he nevertheless speaks of idyllic holidays in the Emerald Isle being absorbed into an extended family of “aunties”, and of countless hours in the company of his cuttingly frank Indian grandmother. From her, the gay stand-up undoubtedly acquired some of his cheek and alacrity in standing up for himself against bullies, his waspish tongue an echo of hers.
Rather too flamboyant and indiscreet for the Catholic Church, his pale features didn't prevent him being the victim of racial slurs. Still, the garrulously conversational Buckley is justifiably proud of the “Rolodex of sass” he has recourse to, with a pithy comeback for any occasion. He's known struggle and tragedy in his life. But his introductory show lays its emphasis on unbreakable bonds, stretching even beyond death, with his role as the family's jester-in-chief assured, his path into comedy seemingly determined.
Closing out with a musical number on an Appalachian dulcimer channelling his ancestry, Darling is a rootsy show from a comic fully aware of where he came from but not confined by the strong flavours of his background. He's wittily picked and chosen the most attractive aspects for his tiggerish persona. Jay Richardson
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Andrew White: What a Life! ★★★★
Monkey Barrel Comedy (Cabaret Voltaire) (Venue 338) until 30 August
If not exactly blasé, Andrew White is at least pragmatic about death. Raised on murder documentaries by his mother, he's incorrigibly partial to charity shop cast-offs from the deceased too.
To his consternation, he's looking more venerable than his years as well, having always had lots of older male friends, making him philosophical enough to craft this moving and consistently funny hour about the loss of loved ones.
Four years in, he recently found himself contemplating marriage to his boyfriend. But he affects concern that that's precisely what his impeccably supportive, gay ally mum wants. A chip off her lawyerly block, White is stubborn and contrarian to a fault and will contest any parking fine or petty grievance with insane levels of commitment, his polite but crazed zeal a strategic masterstroke.
He reserves his greatest ire for celebrants, a profession populated by charlatans in his informed opinion, having witnessed quite a few terrible examples first-hand, spouting cliches and platitudes without ever getting near the soul and personality of the departed.
Although twinklingly mischievous is White's default mode, he speaks touchingly about a late colleague, sharing a secret that I, at least, was completely unaware of, with the knowledge that the person in question ultimately found the opportunity to be their true self small consolation for the tragic circumstances in which they died. Rather more so than the religious dogma that had persecuted them anyway.
A generous, only lightly manipulative storyteller, White shares his tales with unhurried ease, patiently drawing all the disparate threads together and delivering a succession of heart-warming post-scripts that ensure the abiding memory of What a Life! is one of uplifting celebration, of consumer rights and considerably more besides. Jay Richardson
Rob Auton: JUPITER ★★★★
Central at Assembly Roxy (Venue 139) until 30 August
It’s always exciting to see a new Rob Auton show. His jokes, poetry and storytelling stay with you for a long time after you step out of the theatre. In his last show Auton was a motivational speaker, in this one he’s an estate agent – on Jupiter – who has to describe the planet Earth to someone who has never been there.
It’s a great way to step into Auton’s visionary world. Leap along as he watches a frog in his neighbour’s garden. Jump into the mind of a cat, and imagine it has hands. He’s always been able to escape into a world of pure imagination, and he loves playing with words. He has some fun reversing advertising slogans and sharing the spontaneous comments people make after seeing his shows.
Looking at the Earth from another planet allows Auton to explore how his outlook and way of interacting sometimes makes him feel out of step with the rest of us. Love and connection are the answer, but it can be hard to get there.
As always Auton has something really interesting to say, and a heartfelt, poetic way of saying it. Why can’t we appreciate what we already have? Why can’t we get it together to make life the way it really should be?
The structure is a bit wobbly and the story sometimes gets slightly lost. But his big emotional ending is tear-jerking, wise, funny and very beautiful. You walk out of the show inspired to try to make a better world. Claire Smith
Ed Gaughan: The Emperor ★★
Just the Tonic at the Caves (Venue 88) ntil 30 August
Ed has packed his show with ideas and characters. His stock in trade is accents and we get everything in his store room. He has thoughtfully tied it all together in the unlikely story of his discovering that he is the son of Napoleon.
We meet his half siblings, hear the sphincter puckering story of his worst ever gig, enjoy a cameo by Jean Claude van Damme and learn (genuinely fascinatingly) about the Circle of 5ths. This is a truly unusual mix of autobiographical comedy material and Gaughan is a hugely likeable performer. Kate Copstick
Josh Pickar: Getting Off ★★
Assembly Roxy (Venue 139) until 30 August
There is a properly powerful show here but this isn't it. It is heartfelt and thinks all the right things in all the right places but the hour is surprisingly unfocussed to have been written by a lawyer and unfunny to have been written by a comedian/clown.
The stories are tragic, the fact that we are getting them first hand is unique. But it feels like the life-work of someone genuinely impassioned in search of an editor. Josh seems like a wonderful man but, sadly, that is not enough to make a wonderful show. However, do see it. There is important stuff here. Kate Copstick
Sasha Nezlobin: I’m Fine ★★★
Pleasance Dome (Venue 23) until 31 August
You hear some amazing true-life stories on the Fringe. Sasha Nezlobin, here making his Fringe debut, was a huge comedy star back home in Russia. With a government apartment in a prestigious part of town, he was on the brink of making a movie with a real Hollywood star.
He’s now a bottom rung comic based in Los Angeles, having to rebuild his career from the bottom up.
Nezlobin performs in English but a third of the audience is from Russia. For his compatriots he offers jokes about oligarchs and child beating. For the non-Russians he offers stand-up, inspired by his heroes Stewart Lee and Ricky Gervais.
There’s a bit of a mismatch of styles. You can see Nezlobin has some impressive comic chops, but his swagger doesn’t really suit the material. There’s also a huge difference between the implications of free speech in Russia and free speech in comedy, which Nezlobin hasn’t fully resolved.
Nezlobin fled when Russia invaded Ukraine but doesn’t properly explain why Putin’s Special Military Operation had such a dramatic effect on his own life. He’s working in a second language and in a new cultural context which is tough. He’s determined though. You can see that. Claire Smith
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