It’s scarcely a novel idea, but Garry Starr creates great entertainment out of a sequence of titles from the Penguin Classics collection. It’s cleverly and confidently done: almost every new title generates the laughter that flows from knowing what is coming but only once seen. In truth, most of the humour is pretty puerile but Starr gets away with it through artistic risk-taking and sheer comic genius. Sometimes clownish, he is also skilled in getting the best from willing audience participants, who were all warmly applauded. This is not a show for everyone, with its scatology and sometimes suggestive nakedness. But it also has considerable warmth and, give or take a few early departures, the audience loved it.

Pleasance Courtyard, until 26 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Alan Cranston]