For the last couple of decades I have been forced (yes, against my will) to watch the original Star Wars trilogy EVERY Christmas.

So when the person who makes me watch these films each year joined me at the Fringe I knew that a visit to this was my destiny and I didn’t even need to search my feelings.

Whistle Binkies isn’t a comedy venue, not really, it’s a pub, a proper music pub with just a curtain separating the show from the bar. You can hear every show as you order and every audience member can hear you grabbing that unnecessary pack of Bacon Fries with your drink.

But that makes it all the more endearing as a free fringe venue, and when our clown’s tech failed him for the first few minutes it just felt somehow right.

This show is all about our clown showing his 11-year-old daughter Star Wars for the first time, and most importantly, her reaction to the whole “I am your father” reveal. This is hardly a new concept: there were at least two other dads in our audience (with their kids) who had done exactly the same thing.

But unoriginality be damned: the reason this show works is down to our clown’s unwavering love for the subject matter… Oh, and his daughter.

It’s a cram study session of a show, running through all three original films in less parsecs than it took Han to do the Kessel run… And yes, we know it’s a measure of distance.

Dan Willis is an entertaining host, and his decision to base each of his shows on a nostalgic passion certainly pays off. The only down side of doing this is that your audience is coming for the subject, not the clown.

So if you love Star Wars then this show is a 4*, but if you’re simply reviewing it upon it’s own merits then it’s a…

Clown Stars: * * *

@Whistelbinkies, Edinburgh