Comedy review: Frank Lavender: Fragile Masculinity

Edinburgh Festival Fringe: Frank '“ I am sure he wouldn't mind me calling him Frank '“ is a genial bloke who works his audience like an Italian mama with pizza dough.

Laughing Horse @ The Counting House (Venue 170)

***

For ten minutes we are alone together, which is pleasant, but then they start, in Frank’s words “piling in”. “Its like Calais in here,” he cries.

He has a proper set list to get through and tempts us with the promise of London Underground jokes and possibly some “off the wall comedy”. Frank also has props (thank you, Lidl) and a recording of a rimshot, just to get the comedy feel going. For his younger fans, he has some Taylor Swift material and for traditionalists, a whole bundle of fun about people he has met in doctor’s waiting rooms. In many ways like a less manic, more articulate Count Arthur Strong, Frank is a considerate type, not giving us the socio-political rant he could have because it would ruin “the lighthearted atmosphere I have cultivated”. Much of his show is pin-sharp material woven from the audience, not banter, much classier and finer.

His morale is, he tells us, “at a crushing low”, so go and see him and cheer him up.

Until 26 August. Today 4:50pm.