Tom Allen @ Pleasance Courtyard

Tom Allen would be first to tell you of his low social status as a comedian. Despite various TV appearances and the best part of a decade performing at the Fringe, Allen’s personal life, in his own words, is far from successful. This year he brings a new hour of comedy with Absolutely, in which he describes his less-than-successful love life and his moving back home to live with his parents.

As a stand-up, Allen naturally morphs into a host figure, making sure that everyone feels accommodated for. He is an expert at conversational stand-up with a large audience, making the Cabaret Bar feel even more intimate. His material focuses on the everyday boring aspects of suburban life with his parents. Stories about small town shopping malls, driving lessons and rude drivers don’t always grip the audience, but there are plenty of big laughs in an otherwise tight hour. Allen has a habit of stampeding through his list of issues, not allowing the audience to take in any missed jokes.

Nostalgia and the etiquette of after school parties is a focal point throughout the show, and something that has come back to haunt him in his current years. The overall feeling is that of seeing an old friend, one with whom you spend an hour chatting before going your separate ways with a grin on your face, wondering why it was so long since you last spoke.

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Tom Allen: Absolutely, Pleasance Courtyard (Cabaret Bar), 2-27 Aug (not 14), 8pm, £7.50-£11