Comedy review: Andrew Doyle: Thought Crimes

Edinburgh Festival Fringe: Last year lots of political comics had to rewrite their shows at the last minute after Brexit.

The Stand Comedy Club (Venue 5)

***

This year Andrew Doyle rewrote his show after falling out with a bunch of his friends in an argument about Jeremy Corbyn.

Doyle, who is co-creator of the angry internet sensation Jonathan Pie, and is known for his left-leaning acerbic wit, believes there is a schism in left-wing politics.

He’s not afraid to hold unpopular opinions. He’s a gay man who disapproves of gay marriage and he feels alienated by the complexity of debates about sexual identity and gender.

He’s religious, but is sceptical about the messiah-like qualities currently being ascribed to the current leader of the Labour party.

Doyle wants to encourage free speech but doesn’t have a coherent enough notion of how to go about it. There are some interesting ideas here but it feels unfinished.

The show is best when things get personal and Doyle taps into the hurt he felt when his middle-class Labour-supporting friends refused to listen to his point of view. This would have been a better starting point to work out what he really wanted to say.

Until 27 August. Today 6:30pm.