Jason Henderson is lightly amused but disappointed by Phil Kay's latest Fringe show.
Phil Kay is a man who needs no introduction to Edinburgh. An annual Fringe fixture for many years known for his ramshackle, spontaneous and freestyle approach to comedy, his show at the Hive, Verbal Diary (***), is certainly no different.
There were many laughs throughout Monday’s 50-minute performance as the eccentric comedian discussed a variety of subjects, from cycling in England and smoking electric cigarettes in church, to staring at women through estate agent windows and being arrested outside a kebab shop in front of Australian stand-up Jim Jeffries – most of which were tales chosen randomly by audience members shouting ‘stop’ as Kay flicked through the ‘book of funny stories’ he had pieced together from his own life experiences (urging those in the crowd to do the same when they returned home).
However, the laughs generated were often a result of the comedian’s naturally amusing delivery and the sheer ridiculousness of the situations he appeared able to get himself into. Unfortunately, the comedy material itself was just a little too thin on the ground and the overall entertainment value was just lacking that extra something to make this anything more than a 3 star show. That’s not to say it wasn’t an enjoyable performance but when attending the gig of a comedian who relies so much on ‘it’ simply happening on the night, there is always the risk that things won’t quite come together – a fact that Kay himself recognised at the end of what he admitted was the hardest show of the run so far.
The unpredictable Verbal Diary performances the nights before and after may very well have been bladder-threateningly hysterical, but the show on offer on this particular night found itself quite a distance from those side-splitting heights. Still, the Fringe veteran remains able to induce laughter purely by his frenzied and friendly demeanour and so a reasonably entertaining experience can still be enjoyed, even if it occurs on a night when haphazard doesn’t quite equate to hilarious.
Phil Kay Verbal Diary at Heroes @ the Hive, 19:00
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