Ed Aczel @ Heroes, The Hive

When the act on stage asks, with very little sarcasm, and one hundred percent genuine interest, whether they think time is infinite, it’s probably best to pull out a different kind of rating system. 

Ed Aczel has a famously polarising laconic and scrupulous delivery, and this year he is turning his particular kind of attention to some of the biggest questions there are. With the bit between his teeth he reads solemnly from his bundle of notes until an unexpected joke pops out of thin air. This is the Aczel way: look shambolic and unprepared and then, out of the blue, show the audience both how bloody difficult this brand of comedy is, and how good he is at it. It’s not all time this and space that, though. There are a couple of quite lovely musical interludes book ending the show and he still has room to interrogate one audience member about the deal they got when switching their gas and electric; Aczel hasn’t lost his touch with the everyman. 

As one of the most subjective acts on the Fringe, it’s not likely that this year’s show would ever change your opinion of Ed Aczel if you weren’t already a fan. For those of us who delight in spending time with him, however, this is another important hour from an Edinburgh favourite.

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Is Edward Aczel Infinite? Heroes at The Hive (Bunka), until 27 Aug (not 15), 6.15pm, £7/PWYW