Comedy review: Kae Kurd: Kurd Your Enthusiasm

Edinburgh Festival Fringe: As the UK's only Kurdish professional stand-up, Kae Kurd is in no doubt what his unique selling point is.

Pleasance Courtyard (Venue 33)

***

Yet with his slick, accomplished debut, he also proves himself a sharp, passionate spokesperson for his people and the rights of refugees in general, skilfully marrying political convictions with a thorough and entertaining insight into his background.

The son of Kurdish resistance fighters who fought and fled Saddam Hussein, he endured both the strict authority of his father – a victim of chemical weapons –and the mockery of his British-born younger brothers.

Always an insider-outsider, growing up in multi-cultural Brixton made a true social chameleon of him, even if that did instigate embarrassing instances of inadvertent racism on his part. Nevertheless, Kurd started his stand-up career on the black circuit, which informs his lean, confident delivery and a contrived but amusing fantasy of Kevin Bridges, John Bishop and Michael McIntyre also appearing at urban gigs.

Affable and engaging, Kurd occasionally coasts on charm for more rudimentary material about relationships. That is a shame because it follows some perceptive, thought-provoking reflections on the class-based options open to him. No great matter though, because you are going to be hearing plenty more about him soon.

Until 27 August. Today 5:30pm.