Walking down George Street at this year’s Fringe is a very different experience from past years.

In my early Fringes, it was the home of the stars, the big names who drew the biggest crowds. It was a true comedy theatre experience. More recently, the street was closed to traffic to make way for extra venues, street food and shops.

But this year it feels strangely silent, like you could walk down George Street in mid-August and not realise the festival was even happening.

The press/VIP bar is now the back door to a steakhouse, while the upstairs bar has closed, leaving us with a beer shed tucked down a side alley.

So it was certainly refreshing to walk into the Ballroom, with its grand chandelier, awaiting the always understated entrance of one of the Fringe’s greatest clowns.

It’s been two years since we – or anyone – has seen Reg at the Fringe, following an incredibly unfair and obviously toll-taking cancellation back in 2024.

The impact of that on our clown cannot be understated. 

Are there more visible pauses as he checks himself before each new piece of material? Maybe. But the flame, while a little more subdued this time, is still reassuringly burning.

Next year will mark his 30th year in the UK, and some of the strongest material in this year’s set comes from recalling a conversation with his sister about why he has stayed. On the whole, it’s a story of love and acceptance, but told in his own unapologetic style.

This very much felt like a languorous comeback fight to shake off the ring rust. By no means his finest hour, but still a strong one – and hopefully the springboard to a complete return to form for his anniversary show in 2027.

Clown Stars: * * * *

@Assembly Rooms, Ballroom, Edinburgh