one4review | On 24, Aug 2026

New Zealand comic Hoani Hotene is back at the Edinburgh Fringe, but this time he’s graduated from the midnight slots to late afternoon. It’s a different proposition, but one he takes to with plenty of confidence.

He starts strongly, bringing this international audience into his Kiwi background and explaining how he’s become so Fringe-drunk that he now dreams in ginger. It gets us all on an even keel. He may not be from around these parts, but his comedy translates beautifully to the room, like the wonderful madness of SpongeBob translated into Te Reo Māori, which brings the house down.

Then it’s all out, all elbows and id, as Hotene barrels through the confusion of coffee-shop diversification, the naming of breakfasts, and a brilliant creation story involving God and fridge etiquette. The latter is worth the price of admission alone.

New Zealand gets a kicking too, with the Prime Minister, bullying and the controversy around rainbow crossings all dispatched with Hotene’s usual charm and a nicely sharpened political edge.

And once again, he’s expanded the “couples massages” routine that killed last year into a precision comedy weapon. It’s a great example of a comic not sitting on his laurels, changing, refining, finding a good idea and squeezing every last drop of juice from it.

Hotene is older and sillier tonally, and this feels like an upgrade on last year. He is already something of a big draw back home, and has everything to suggest he’ll be performing on considerably bigger stages here soon.

A great, sometimes brilliant package, and one of the best New Zealand comedians at the Fringe this year.

****
Reviewed by Steve H

Hoots @ Hilton (Bread Street) 
Until 31 Aug
17.20