On this night, we had booked an incredible set of back-to-back shows at Monkey Barrel 3 (still just a fantastic comedy space), with Pierre Novellie immediately followed by Larry Dean. Both have delivered fantastic sets in recent years, so expectations were high.

In “Must We?”, our clown for the evening dials up the absurdity with stories from his life, many rooted in his autism. He shares tales of mishaps involving Rinse Aid, rye bread, and dried pasta, and yes, it’s OK to laugh – he insists on it!

Sporting a snazzy powder-blue suit (the velvet jacket must be in the wash), Pierre muses on the Fringe, where ‘just’ delivering “a really funny hour of comedy” can, weirdly, be seen as a knock. He’s not out to change the world with this show but rather delivers a loose collection of impeccably told stories, some of which, even if embellished, have been perfectly calibrated for comedic effect.

His ‘surfeit of logic,’ as he calls it, is the source of both his self-effacing humour and razor-sharp sarcasm – his takedown of imperial measures is comedy gold.

While this show at first feels like a simple collection of amusing anecdotes, it subtly ties together themes like his unhealthy relationship with food and the futility of escaping life’s grind. And in a serious turn, he reflects on Dutch euthanasia campaigner Zoraya ter Beek, again adding the depth that so often enhances his humour.

In short, our clown 100% delivers that “really funny hour of comedy“, and from us, at least, it is meant as nothing other than a huge compliment and a reason to see him again.

Pierre Novellie is on tour for the rest of 2024, and you can find details of all his upcoming shows here

Clown Stars: * * * * *

@Monkey Barrel, Edinburgh