Comedy review: Laughter is the Best Placebo

Edinburgh Festival Fringe: Simon Caine's schtick is his haplessness. His body doesn't really 'do' joy, he overthinks everything and all his friends are getting married and having babies except him.

Sweet Grassmarket (Venue 18)

**

He references his audience too much, his fake “mistakes” are obvious and his hour has no internal tension so it feels like it is wandering. Some of his material just feels genuinely creepy. But he has some great writing in there, some nicely crafted jokes and some nice one liners. He has a new route down the much trodden path of millennials and house prices and made me think again about Dr Pepper. He also has a workable comedy persona. He just doesn’t have an hour yet.

Until 27 August. Today 5pm.