Comedy review: Micky Bartlett: Typical

Edinburgh Festival Fringe: Irish eyes are certainly smiling from Micky Bartlett's face '“ for a man who is only just hitting 30, he has an impressively avuncular vibe.

GIlded Balloon Teviot (Venue 14)

***

Don’t be fooled, though, this is no cosy comedian. He is here to share his observations on life in his native Northern Ireland: it is where sectarianism meant his new best friend lasted only two weeks and where a favourite relative proved to have feet of clay, but so long as they were white, fine. When he turns his eye on Scotland, and an undeniable aspect of Leith life, he is great company.

Bartlett could do with surprising us a bit more, though. Telling a Fringe audience that racism is bad, and women have a tough time, isn’t going to rock anyone’s world in 2017; at times he’s reminiscent of a less-hectoring Ben Elton. And if you are going to condemn sexism and speak up for LGBT equality, a gag about Arlene Foster looking like she is auditioning for the gays and lesbians should perhaps be gently retired.

Still, there is a lot of potential here; one of Bartlett’s first jobs out of university was dressing up as a Subway sandwich – he won’t be doing that again anytime soon.

Until 28 August. Today 5:15pm.