Chris Washington @ Pleasance Courtyard
The 2017 Best Newcomer nominee overcomes sophomore syndrome with a compelling second half in You Beauty!
After his debut hour earned him a best newcomer nomination, ex-postman Chris Washington has returned with his difficult second album of a show, ruminating on his success and how a passion to chase his dreams, however small, ended up changing his life.
Well, mostly. It’s very hard to not like Washington once you get to know him – he’s an unpretentious down-to-earth everyman with a cheeky wink and great delivery (insert Royal Mail joke here).
While he takes most of his recent glory in his stride, he describes the previous 12 months as the best year of his life. He doubles down on his 'just happy to be here' attitude, which keeps him grounded and endears himself even more to the audience. This underplays his success somewhat – he perhaps doesn’t give himself enough credit for getting where he is today. At the same time, this show is unlikely to have the impact of last year’s: it’s mostly a 'Part 2', the next chapter of a continuing story, which, to be frank, had a funnier and more revealing Part 1.
It’s not until at least halfway through the hour that he gets away from the fallout of the 2017 Fringe with some raucous tales that strip the glitz and glamour from the Edinburgh Comedy Awards, and pivots into a set of tales about minor industrial action that his skills as a comic storyteller really begin to shine. A success story on the up and up, and we can look forward to seeing what future years will bring.
Chris Washington: You Beauty!, Pleasance Courtyard (Upstairs), 1-26 Aug, 8:30pm, £6-10
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