Fin Taylor @ Just the Tonic, The Tron

Fin Taylor seems particularly on edge tonight. Concerns that the crowd might not be on his side prove warranted when he gets his first walk-outs of the festival. This rattles him slightly but comes at such an apt moment in the set that the surrounding material smooths over any disruption. Taylor obviously revels in a bit of resistance from and wouldn’t be prepared to talk for an hour about topics, such as the inherent narcissism in political correctness to the empowering effects of Muslim pornography, without expecting or provoking a certain amount of pushback.

Tonight seems different, however. Ostensibly a show that tries to discuss the hypocrisy and complacency of being a white middle-class liberal – like most of his audience – such controversy doesn’t seem to click with this particular crowd. This is not to come down too hard on Taylor, as he does his best and his belligerent delight at “giving up being left wing” is spot-on. The attempt at framing the show around a specific bad week of his life doesn’t quite gel, but his genuine anger at misplaced moral superiority and liberal smugness is – like the best standup – exceptionally thought-provoking and properly hilarious.

Without such contention Taylor would still be an excellent comedian, but his more delicate arguments lose their momentum here tonight up against an audience that simply refuses to be comfortable in his presence. As he prepares to leave the stage Taylor tells us we’re his worst audience of the Fringe so far – and he's probably right. In front of the right crowd he'd be unstoppable.

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Fin Taylor: Lefty Tighty Righty Loosey, Just the Tonic at The Tron, until 27 Aug, 10.20pm, £6.50/PWYW