Edinburgh Festival: James Acaster, Pleasance Courtyard - comedy review

James Acaster’s latest show, Recognise, is an exquisitely constructed hour of offbeat storytelling from start to finish
Joy in life's minutiae: James Acaster
Bruce Dessau8 August 2014

In all my gig-going days I don't think I've seen a stand-up show as immaculately crafted as James Acaster's Recognise. This is an exquisitely constructed hour of offbeat storytelling from start to finish. Acaster has been nominated for an Edinburgh Comedy Award twice and this is his best set yet.

So will he win the Award this year? The competition is tight and for some the copper-haired Kettering comedian may be just a little over-mannered. From the chain store corduroy to the gawky physicality — imagine a young Jarvis Cocker — he might be too quirky.

There is, however, no denying that his jokes are an artful assemblage of thoughts on life’s minutiae. This is observational humour a world away from Michael McIntyre’s man drawers as Acaster reflects on irritations when buying bananas, calls the material that joins linked oven gloves together a “filthy hammock” and ponders on the existential stress of leading a conga.

These are just some of the highlights in a subtle piece that skates seamlessly through unlikely topics before tying everything neatly together at the end. There is an echo of Stewart Lee in Acaster’s penchant for fanciful repetition, but only a faint echo. A highly distinctive work from one of comedy’s most original voices.

Until Aug 24 (0131 226 0000, edfringe.com). Oct 27-Nov 2, Soho Theatre, W1 (020 7478 0100, sohotheatre.com)

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