**** Chris McCausland: Big Time

4 stars

Comedy Venue: Pleasance Courtyard

Chris McCausland says his girlfriend didn’t like his previous Fringe show; there were a few too many stories about her in it.

She’s a hovering presence over much of this year’s offering, as well; although McCausland starts out on the broader theme of Time, he criss-crosses it with a plethora of very down-to-earth anecdotes, about relativity and Topshop, ageing and the gym, and the behaviour of space and gravity in a small studio flat.

His facility with language is a treat, whether he’s evoking the interior of a clothes shop, or defending himself from suicidal fruit, and the set itself is well-paced, with enough tangents to put flesh on the underlying themes without becoming lost in a world of diminishing digressions.

Those who have read his blog may recognise one or two bits, but these are solid and well-crafted, and the delivery brings out each mote of humour to its best advantage.

By turns wry, self-depreciating and deadpan, McCausland is instantly likeable, and has the audience on his side from the start. His dry delivery and well-placed comic timing have his listeners chuckling in their seats throughout – at times laughing out loud; a particular favourite with the crowd is a brilliant story about the flight-shy Scouser.

Quite what his girlfriend will think when she hears about the various goings-on in their fridge is anyone’s guess, but that’ll be another story – and hopefully, another Fringe show next year.

Hairline (Beth Wilson)