George Lewis @ Pleasance Courtyard

George Lewis, with his constant grin and easy charm, probably couldn’t be less like Liam Gallagher. But a younger George in 90s Stockport is determined to try anyway.

Lewis is immediately likeable, and a school talent show is the perfect setting for his self-deprecating brand of humour. While there is nothing especially daring or new in material that explores teenage crushes or high school popularity, Lewis puts in a solid performance with a steady stream of satisfying anecdotes and a well-pitched delivery.

The pace and structure of the show is good too, with pay-offs and callbacks which further indulge an audience who are already basking in the comfort of nostalgia. Ultimately it is this, combined with Lewis’ persona as your cheeky but reliable old friend, which is the show’s main strength.

A Man, A Plan, A Girl With Fake Tan does what it says on the tin, and audiences will happily find themselves transported back to playground politics and more innocent times under the competent supervision of Lewis. By the time we find out whether he won over the object of his affections, he has already won over those in the room.

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George Lewis: A Man, a Plan, a Girl with Fake Tan, Pleasance Courtyard (The Attic), 1-26 Aug (not 13), 5:45pm, £6-10

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