****

The hall is packed, the temperature inside is tropical everyone posed for the arrival of the ‘clown’, his words not mine, and onto the stage a vision on white, shorts, singlet and trainers strides Andrew Maxwell.

Open quote, ‘Don’t laugh I’m dressed for the conditions’ and he is not wrong. He then proceeded to raise the temperature further with his hot material, starting with some local stuff, Scottish football, proximity of Leith to the New Town before settling into his set.

Unusual for Maxwell this year there was no sitting on a stool chatting, he stood throughout, maybe a concession to the poorer sightlines in the space but also had a table with a Russian doll and a glass bowl containing something I couldn’t make out.

Usual for Maxwell, was a fund of funny material on all subjects, he shies way from nothing. Irish men, his wishes, parenthood ,Swedish drugs laws, credit crunch and Michael Jackson are all subjects he opines on as only he can.

The funniest part for me was the idea of Andrew being the front for a campaign in respect to certain male ‘problems’. Can you imagine the mischief he could get up to if he got that gig? It doesn’t bear thinking about.

So another gig drew to an end, Maxwell still looking cool, us even hotter, just like a ticket for his show. Get yours while you have a chance.

Andrew Maxwell The Lamp

Company: - Andrew Maxwell

Venue: - Pleasance at Over The Road One V 33

Dates: - 5 to 31 August 2009 (not 12,19 )

Times: - 21.00 to 22.00

Fringe Programme Page: - p23   (C33)