Having previously played arenas in home country Russia, before being forced to flee after joking about the war in Ukraine, stand-up Sasha Nezlobin is now trying to build a comedy career in the West, while still honing his English. That linguistic challenge is heavily referenced in the show, and provides useful cover when jokes occasionally don’t land quite right: we should blame ChatGPT’s shoddy translations, he jokes. He has a commanding presence and a great story to tell, as he and his family navigate their much less lucrative new life in the US. I suspect that, as Nezlobin adapts more to the culture and language of his new home, his performances will become more slick, but the slightly rough and ready style on offer right now has a definite charm and suits the stories he’s telling. 

Pleasance Dome, until 31 Aug. 
tw rating 4/5 | [Chris Cooke]