3

	Gilded Balloon Teviot (venue website) Comedy 1-26 Aug, 8:15pm-9:15pm Reviewed by Lynsey Martenstyn
Parents or guardians should consider the content of this show if children are attending.

"I want to make you laugh from the pit of your stomach, so that you fart a little bit!" exclaims an excited Al Pitcher at the beginning of his set. Whilst Pitcher’s new material is humorous, it won’t have you suffocating or (thankfully) flatulating from laughter. Returning to Edinburgh after a five-year hiatus, Sweden-residing, Kiwi-born Pitcher takes observational humour literally in his new show Tiny Triumphs.

Pitcher presents a gentle, inoffensive form of humour, providing a quirky insight as to how he sees the world. The show is based around a slideshow of images, taken on Pitcher’s journey through Edinburgh to the venue. They feature misplaced signs, seagulls standing on statues and odd slogans; many are self-explanatory (for example a cycle-path sign in between tramlines) – others need a brief explanation.

When the photos do not evoke a reaction form the audience, the show has the tendency to feel like the documentation of an acutely observant, snap-happy holidaymaker. Occasionally Pitcher forgets the upcoming image and quickly flicks forward and back, ruining most of the punchline for the next joke. Still, his affable demeanour means this does not irritate the audience.

Thankfully, he breaks up the slideshow presentation with regular audience interaction, doing so in a charmingly awkward manner which raises the most laughs in the hour. He mistakes siblings for lovers, or two friends as a mother and daughter pair, all while vehemently insisting that he does not mean to cause offence. "Some comedians are like Rottweilers with their audience; I’m more of a three-legged, blind Labrador, who’ll hop up and lick you," he insists. He seems most comfortable when talking with the crowd.

The show feels slightly disjointed in places – a succession of images that do not tickle the audience lead to Pitcher wildly changing topic to something absurd, or succumbing to clichés of Scotland and Scottish people: "they never smile!" "It’s always raining!" "Deep fried Mars Bars!" While this generally sits well with the audience, they are not the most original or insightful of statements.

Pitcher does provide an enjoyable hour of easy-going comedy, which is largely aided by his gawky, friendly personality. It is by no means groundbreaking material, just as its title implies. If you enjoy searching the Internet for funny Tumblrs, or regularly pause at ill-placed street signs to laugh, this is the comedy show for you.