Edinburgh Fringe comedy reviews: Will Duggan | Tom Stade | Burt Williamson | Síomha Hennessy

Get ready to find your next night of entertainment with a fresh round of Edinburgh Fringe comedy reviews.

Will Duggan at the Edinburgh Fringe | Edward Moore

Can Duggan? Should Duggan? Will Duggan

Underbelly Bristo Square (Venue 302), until 25 August

★★★★

Will starts slowly and gently, but stay with him, because this show turns into a joybox of an hour. To be fair, he does have some very good points to make about the available spectrum of light and few comics tackle that at the moment. His transitions are worked so smoothly that we barely notice that now we are talking about his friend who is a teacher – not a very good one - and before we realise it we are deep in Michael Fish territory, and where Duggan takes us with this is nothing short of hilarious. His delightful serial killer-based riff is absolutely brilliant and, and again, a freshly minted use of some old targets resulting in huge laughs.

In the whole hour, I cannot remember any routine that did not hit its mark. Duggan is sweaty, very, very sweaty, but he has come prepared. He is also genuinely likeable. And for the past 18 months, a dad. We giggle with him through tales of 'baby classes', his ability to change a pooey nappy in public and the audience nod along to his opinions of the low bar set for fathers. For the first time this August, the hour sails by before I feel any desire to check my watch. And also for once, we see a comic who genuinely understands how to build a bond cemented with laughter with his audience, so that when things get a little bit emosh towards the end, as they do, we go with him. There is no doubt in my mind that the single best joke ever told involving semen is in this show. It is unexpectable, it does, in a way, relate to his daughter, and it is eye-watering. As it were.

Kate Copstick

Tom Stade: Risky Business

The Stand Comedy Club (Venue 5), until 25 August

★★★★

Tom Stade begins by scanning the audience for people of different generations.  He picks out a man in his sixties, a man in his fifties and a young couple in their teens. This is a show about age, perspective and how there often seems to be a gap, in understanding, and in language, between people born and raised in different decades. It’s a minefield, but he’s going in.

Tom, in shiny white shirt and with sparkly grin, is from a place far, far away, known as the nineties.  He leans into his character as rock and roll daddy and explains why the past sometimes seems like a distant place. There’s a lot of chat about his kids, now in their twenties, and prone to sending him condescending text messages written in baffling slang.  It’s pretty clear that Tom and his brood are a tight bunch but he hams up the exasperation for laughs.

Stade swings backwards and forwards between the older and the younger audience members, explaining how language, concepts and expectations have changed over time.  What’s really clever is he leaves no one behind; he interprets the old for the young and translates back again for the old.

And it’s a show full of great big laughs.  Stade’s laid-back laconic delivery allows him to land every punchline, with rhythmic precision.  And in a Fringe where the generation gap seems bigger than ever, this ultra cool stoner dad finds some much needed common ground.  He’s our Rosetta stone. He hits gold when he realises there has been a family watching, kids and parents together.  It doesn’t happen enough, but they are in safe hands. Stade is such an assured and enjoyable comic and there is something very lovely about his willingness to keep the lines of communication open.

Claire Smith

100% The Greatest Comedian Alive or Dead (No Refunds)

PBH's Free Fringe @ Voodoo Rooms (Venue 68), until 25 August

★★★★

Burt Williamson does not, of course, make any attempt to live up to his title. I am assuming it is meant to be some sort of in yer face challenge. However, what Burt Williamson is, is something quite wonderful, a comic who understands how to structure a very personal show, with laughs, and gasps, and silliness, so that, when we are introduced to his Dad, and his MND diagnosis, we care. We are so invested.

We are still laughing like drains, of course, but, just when I had thought that the art and craft of the Dead Dad Show was sunk under a mudslide of generational self-obsession, Burt Williamson comes along and knocks it out of the dead parental park. His Dad would be so proud of him. Bristol Aquarium should definitely give him free life membership. We get to know Burt himself through laughter on the subject of wanking and the global MILF shortage, brazil nuts and Andrew Tate, David Attenborough and a stonkingly funny routine about donating blood. Just his thoughts about the repercussions of where that blood ends up are worth queuing in the rain at the Voodoo Rooms to hear.

His routine on Pride Month is equally original and hilarious. Burt, whose career has included six months cutting up grapes, and describes himself as an “absolute unit”, is 29 and, he feels, if he has to give up comedy it has to be now. I very much hope he doesn't. This is a beautifully constructed show, with so many different kinds of funny in it, as well as perfectly managed poignancy and a little cluster of clever callbacks at the finale. Alpha males might want to check their attitude at the door. Barge owners, this is definitely the show for you. Even my Dad would have loved it.

Kate Copstick

Síomha Hennessy: 30 Under 30

Gilded Balloon Patter House (Venue 24), until 26 August

★★

Síomha Hennessy yearns to be a young pop star but, at the age of 35, she realises this might no longer be possible. She does, however, have a gorgeous voice and bags of charisma, in addition to a powerful drive to be noticed. 

In 30 Under 30, she is candid about aspects of her personal life that aren’t going as hoped for her. Often in the form of cabaret-style songs, these include her disappointment about not being famous, next-day embarrassment about her compulsion to discuss trauma at parties, how hard it is to find a husband and generally not being on the same life trajectory as her peers.

She’s got some relatable true-life material about break-ups, and a fantastic song told – in Irish folk style – from the perspective of an IUD whose womb isn’t getting any action.

Given that Edinburgh right now is crammed with people wanting to be noticed and appreciated for their talents, a show that amplifies these cravings feels like it’s more in service of the performer than the audience. It’s more entertaining and nourishing to be shown than told how unusual an artist is, and Hennessy has some real gifts to share.

Ashley Davies 

Sam Dodgshon's Memory is Full

PBH's Free Fringe @ Banshee Labyrinth (Venue 156), until 25 August

★★

Sam Dodgshon is a good, creative comic. But not here, where – on an alluring premise – he simply spends an hour showing us old photos and video. Were Sam a close friend, it might be interesting. Had Sam a collection of quirky, offbeat snaps of another world, it might be interesting. Had Sam written hilarious or witty commentary for the photos, it might even have been entertaining. But he didn't and it wasn't, not enough to warrant keeping me in my seat for an hour. If perfectly pleasant and occasionally smile-worthy is what you want, you will love this.

Kate Copstick