Stevie Martin @ Pleasance Courtyard

Stevie Martin is clear from the outset that this is a show about "openings" for completed shows she has most definitely written – in almost every genre and style you can imagine – and she takes us through these with an energy and enthusiasm that’s reciprocated by her audience.

Her physical performance leads us through what initially seems more of a conventionally confessional show, and while this is probably deliberate it sadly means that it takes some time to establish what’s actually going on here and to go with the flow. But it’s consistently funny enough to soon get us all on board. Once the penny drops in the second half, the material becomes more knowing and cleverly skewers not only ubiquitous social conventions – such as the Facebook attention seeker – but the writing and structure of a comedy show itself. It’s evident that Martin is enjoying herself and everybody else is too. Volume 1 is a promising, uplifting hour of likeable weirdness.

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Stevie Martin Vol. 1, Pleasance Courtyard (Below), 1-27 Aug (not 15), 6pm, £6-10

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