This endearing Canadian has the personality, delivery, and self-deprecating laugh of a great comedian. Naturally, then, he falls fatally short at the jokes. He begins by saying, “I’m Tom and I don’t know how to start a show,” and the apparent lack of effort behind this line haunts his entire act. Many of his punchlines are whispered throughout the audience before he has a chance to say them. That’s not to say he’s unoriginal: his jokes are clever and cynically ironic, but he is at his best when bantering with the audience. A couple of times, I embarrassingly guffawed. With more consistently intelligent humour, Tom’s likeable stage presence could have us all guffawing… with less of the embarrassment.

Pleasance Courtyard, 3 – 28 Aug (not 15), 9.00pm (9.55pm), £9.00 – £12.00, fpp161.
tw rating 3/5
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