Comedy review: Joe Lycett: Some Lycett Hot, Pleasance Courtyard (Venue 33), Edinburgh

By JAY RICHARDSON
Published on 08/08/2012 11:23

AN AVOWED bisexual and enthusiastic advocate of the gay hook-up application Grindr, who brings a pizza wheel to a potential knife fight, Joe Lycett maintains that he’s a well-tooled threat to anyone in his immediate vicinity.

COMEDY

Joe Lycett: Some Lycett Hot

Pleasance Courtyard (Venue 33)

Star rating: * * *

A peevish streak, and vindictive pettiness towards the service industries notwithstanding, his posturing couldn’t appear further from the truth – his actual assault being one of engaging, gossipy camp.

For his solo Fringe debut, 24-year-old Lycett reveals a crisis of masculinity, opening with a declared hatred of his penis and contrasting his personality with that of his macho personal trainer, Clive.

As themes go, it’s pretty catch-all but Lycett has fun with it. Deeper material on the relationship prospects for bisexuals is glossed over, while a glimpse of playground bullying is telling – even at 12, he had a deft, unconcerned riposte. In general, he opts for a lighter, inconsequential touch – championing his favourite, obscure soft drink; confessing to a talent for breaking wind.

There are some amusing post-mortems of his drinking behaviour but also aimless waffle about gratuitously becoming a football fan.

Sarcastic correspondences with an outraged television viewer and his local parking authorities are juvenile, droll, and as throwaway as the rest of this diverting hour.

• Until 26 August. Today 8:30pm.