Comedy review: Christopher Macarthur-Boyd: The Boyd With the Thorn in His Side

Christopher Macarthur-Boyd: The Boyd With the Thorn in His Side

Gilded Balloon Rose Theatre (Venue 76)

JJJ

“Everyone’s a little bit racist,” the racy puppets of Avenue Q sing. That certainly includes Christopher Macarthur-Boyd’s Nana and Grandad, who drop decidedly, deservedly verboten terms like a pigeon plopping poo. He still loves them, though... it’s generational rather than malice.

In fact, this Glasgow East End boy loves his gran so much he got a tattoo in her honour (which she hates). For his part, Macarthur-Boyd’s gone right off his girlfriend (since she dumped him). If only Scotland had voted for independence, all would have been well, no?

What’s any of this got to do with The Smiths? The title’s a reference to the band, after all. Well, miserabilist Morrissey does come into the show via that time he compared KFC to the Holocaust, but really, this is just a charming young comic talking about everyday things. And the Apocalypse. Macarthur-Boyd’s material is well honed, and well delivered, and he quickly gets a nice rapport going with the audience. It’s his first solo show at the Fringe, and if the gods of comedy are just, the first of many.

Martin Gray

Until 28 August. Today 9:45pm.