Comedy review: Matt Price, Underbelly, Edinburgh

We are thirteen who brave the cold and the rain to reach Matt's venue, where he greets us at the door and explains that his pre-show music isn't playing, his Powerpoint is f**ked and he can't show any of the hilarious videos that make up part of the show

Technical issues are no match for Matt Price's pure storytelling verve

Matt Price, Underbelly, Edinburgh * * * *

But he will describe them, he reassures us, looking around for his chair. His chair, it transpires, is also f**ked. But Matt soldiers on. We very quickly realise that, while some hilarious videos are never to be sniffed at, and Powerpoint can look good, all we really need for a truly great hour of laugh-out-loud comedy with the occasional sharp intake of breath, is here.

Matt Price and his beastiary of extraordinary crims and dodgy geezers, about whom he tells the most glorious tales need no technical additions to pack an hour with comedy. Price is a stand-up who tells stories and so he never simply gives you the bare narrative (wonderful,crazy, comical stuff that that is), but garnishes it with great gags, funny asides, beautifully comic descriptions and quite a lot of impressions all done with the fondness of someone introducing you to a bunch of his eccentric friends. These friends just happen to be crims like The Boss and his girlfriend, Stab Vest Steve, Cocaine Bill and Brian the pretend hitman.

The characters and their stories are comedy gold and Price is a talented goldsmith. Criminally funny, you might say.

Until 25 August

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