one4review | On 19, Aug 2015

2015. Nish Kumar will turn 30. He will have been in comedy for ten years. He says it really has got to work now. It does. And then some.

Since I first saw him in 2012 I have thought this guy is going places and each year’s show has shown a progression. This offering is the best one yet.

As a liberal thinking comic, don’t call him a leftie, Kumar has a pop at the privatisation of parts of the NHS especially NHS111, the way board games such as Monopoly encourage greed and political correctness and ISIS. He even seeks an alternative name for climate change to give it more impact. His musings on the James Bond franchise especially theme tunes, American Pie collection, and poor decisions in Hollywood casting as well give a lighter note to part of the well balanced hour.

His room is like a sauna, yet the cool solid performance of delightfully written material delivered with passion makes everyone forget their discomfort for the entirety of his set. Kumar maybe worried his career has got to work, but anyone who sees him will know. It does. And I’m certain it will do so for a long, long time.

*****

Reviewed by Geoff

Pleasance Upstairs

Until 30^th August

19.15 to 20.15