Monkey Barrel, the Hive, EdinburghThe Edinburgh comedy award nominee ambles through tales of debt, chicken shops and his eccentric grandad in a show that’s loose but brimming with intelligent wit‘If there’s one thing this show doesn’t do, it’s come to you,” says Ed Night. That’s part of the charm – and possibly a slight failing – in the south London standup’s new set. As he treads around in a circle on his small stage, Your Old Mucker unfolds at its own laconic pace, and leaves us to make meaning out of its disparate parts. The 29-year-old’s authority, his sly standoffishness and playfulness with the art form are qualities of a standup near the top of his game – albeit one who with this ambling, endearing show doesn’t get quite as much out of them as he might.The conceit here is that Night’s writing process is, in fact, a walking one. The show traces his perambulations around his local neighbourhood, from the dentist to the butcher, from Nisa Local to the betting shop, connecting with friends and local characters along the way. Dotted throughout are references to his late grandad, whose eccentricities (a penchant for filling biscuit tins with not-biscuits; a circumcision in his 80s) are to grandson Ed a wonder and inspiration. Continue reading…

theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall, EdinburghThis playful performance explores loneliness, liberty and life in early adulthood through two adventurous cats and their demanding humansEllie Rose Amit and Charlotte Pine’s comedy about cats includes grooming, a spot of the zoomies and plenty of needy behaviour. But the joke is that these are the traits of two demanding pet owners: overanxious Shira, who has confined Iris to life as a house cat, and the vain Arlan, who makes Jeffabelle do tricks for TikTok.Produced by Leeds University’s Aireborne Theatre, and directed by Amit, it’s full of promise and proof that student performance – increasingly priced out of the fringe – is vital to the Edinburgh festival ecology. Continue reading…