Way back in 2016 the Clownster website went live with our first ever review. It was Andrew Maxwell performing ‘Slight Return’ – a fitting choice as it was his tendancy to affectionately refer to his fellow performers as clowns that gave us our name.

So, exactly 100 reviews later, it seems only right that we had tickets for one of this clown’s two gigs at the 2021 Fringe as it works to find its feet after the pandemic.

The Corn Exchange was a new venue on us, but after a short cab ride we had arrived, been checked for covid, grabbed a drink and waited as the crowd began to build. Unsurprisingly our clown had sold out the venue and we were not the only ones who had missed his gigs.

Andrew walked on stage almost yelling with excitement, air-hugging the audience and lamenting how out of practice he is… though you wouldn’t know it here.

If he has missed having an audience and Edinburgh, the feeling is very much mutual.

This is a show featuring well-worn but much-loved anecdotes and new material – which, while still shot through with his trademark silliness, is flecked with sad, sobering hints of lockdown’s devasting impact on his dad’s dementia.

For us this has always been this clown’s greatest skill – he takes you on a journey like few others can and he can always find an infectious joy in dark and absurd times.

We have said it before and we’ll say it again – if you have the opportunity to see this clown take it… you will not be disappointed.

Clown Stars * * * * *

@Edinburgh Corn Exchange, Edinburgh

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