Edinburgh Fringe Comedy reviews: Sam Jay | Katie Norris | Ed Night

Sam Jay: We the People ★★★★☆

Pleasance Courtyard (Venue 33) until 24 August

You can’t look away while Sam Jay is performing; the charisma drips off this woman who writes for Saturday Night Live and brings with her many of the tried-and-tested mannerisms of traditional American stand-ups

But she approaches her topics from surprising angles and peppers interesting social and political topics with routines drenched in unexpected whimsy.

Some of her observations reveal a degree of centrism that you might not be anticipating. You wouldn’t necessarily expect to hear a black, queer woman saying she understood why people voted for Trump – “Imagine waking up white and poor,” she considers. She also takes a conciliatory approach to those who struggle to accept trans people, musing upon some softly-softly options to help them feel less shocked by it all.

She’s at her best when talking about what happened when she went to her first rodeo – the ultimate fish-out-of-water story – and her flights of fancy about aliens targeting farmers are just wonderful.

READ MORE: Here are the eight shortlisted nominees for Best Show at this year's Edinburgh Comedy Awards

Katie Norris: Go West, Old Maid ★★★★☆

Pleasance Courtyard (Venue 33) until 24 August

You’d be forgiven for not knowing what to expect from someone dressed like a Victorian bellboy (her words) and who describes her father as having been so posh he looked homeless, but what you get is the most delightful hour of silliness – like a vitamin shot for your happiness levels.

Katie Norris (late of the beloved Norris and Parker double act) is a triple threat: an actor, singer and godmother, and gets a lot of fun mileage out of the latter, joking that it’s so much more of an achievement than being an actual mother because you are chosen.

She sprinkles her set with brilliant songs covering everything from the aforementioned responsibility to sexual boundaries, quite rightly bemoaning the liberties that many men think they can take these days.

She playfully scares some of the blokes in the audience, before enlisting some of them to help with a play her father wrote for her in a bid to help her career. Indeed, some of Norris’s finest material is about her dad, and various forms that legacies can take. There’s a lot of tenderness underpinning this giddily generous hour.

Norris also deploys an unusual device to ease further audience participation, and the result could not be more fun. In a world where so many people cosplay eccentricity for attention, Katie Norris is a deliciously authentic, upbeat character who’s a joy to be around.

READ MORE: Edinburgh Comedy Awards: Producer slams shortlist with no Scottish names, saying it 'is a 45-year problem'

Ed Night: Your Old Mucker ★★★★☆

Monkey Barrel (Hive) (Venue 313a) until 24 August

Come, if you will, with Ed Night as he describes the way he fills his day, walking around his neighbourhood, visiting his friend the dentist, popping into Nisa, the butcher and the bookies, then considering a drink in the pub.

What might sound like a straightforward premise is anything but: Your Old Mucker is a cleverly paced hour that draws upon a myriad of ideas, all imaginatively connected and poetically brought to life.

He’s got a crisp take on everyday subjects, from dentistry and landlords to guide dogs and mental health; the joke-writing is sharp and his delivery – flashes of mischief brightening up an occasionally hangdog expression – is better than ever.

He has such an authoritative tone of voice, perhaps thanks to its depth, that you instinctively want to believe him when he confidently imparts misinformation about topics such as debt.

Ever-present is his late grandfather, but this is no grief show. We get to hear some incredible recordings of an interview the old man gave to some school kids (Night’s lip-syncing elevating it into a couple of perfect moments), with a memorable insight into what he chose to remember about the war.

Your Old Mucker is a joy from start to finish, an immaculate hour that shows Ed Night is at the top of his game.

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