Intelligent, insightful and thought-provoking: not necessarily how one might describe any old stand-up comedian, and Alfie Brown is most definitely not average. His set at this year’s Fringe covers topics from society’s dumbing-down through popular culture (fans of Adele and Rihanna be warned) to whether we are right to condemn paedophiles; hard-hitting stuff. Shocking, outrageous and sometimes just plain bizarre, Brown delivers his set with great flair and panache, and his use of the English language is something to behold in itself. Even if his aggressive attitude can seem overbearing, he is a comedian who possesses great vision, and could be brilliant if he focused less on trying to shock and more on making people laugh.

Underbelly Cowgate, 2-26 Aug, 6.25pm.
tw rating 3/5 | [Simon Thornton]