Fringe Comedy

Gayle Anderson

Nick Cody

Assembly George Square

Four stars

Zoe Lyons

Gilded Balloon

Four stars

Ever Mainard

Gilded Balloon

Three stars

THE DAY job for Nick Cody's venue this year is a lecture theatre. Pretty appropriate really because the bearded Aussie delivered a master-class in stand-up. Stories flow like the amber nectar he's so fond of. This man's so comfortable on stage he might as well be wearing his PJ's and dressing gown. Come Get Some tells the story of Nick's search for his heritage and the discovery of his ancestral family home in Ireland. Along the way there are anecdotal stop-overs in New York and Dubai and Trip Advisor gets a hefty and very funny kicking. The set contains some sharp one-liners but it's his longer, carefully crafted stories that get the biggest laughs. We meet the "rellies" too and his gangsta gran and drunk dad are crowd favourites. A bona fide bloke who never lurches into laddishness, his act is a gimmick-free study of the trials and tribulations of modern day life. All told with the ease and intimacy of someone propping up the bar stool next to you – oh, and it's your round. The self-confessed rap fan finishes off with some spectacular cleverness that helps him claim bragging rights and surely win the festival's callback crown.

Until August 28

ZOE Lyons impersonation of a reptilian-like Theresa May, "as happy on land as she is in water," is worth the ticket price alone and could provide a whole new career opportunity for her. Not that she needs one. This women is a seasoned stand-up at the top of her game. In Little Misfit, she explains why she's finally happy being an outsider. Through a series of sharp one-liners, some wonderful observational humour and even a spot of interpretive dance she celebrates all that's unique about being a bit of a geek. Her confident and relaxed stage presence could charm the Edinburgh chihuahuas out of the trees.(You needed to be there.) She effortlessly shapeshifts into a series of different characters. From a swaggering, big-bellied Malaga ex-pat to a Ray Winstone-channelling Jack Russell. They're all there – present and deliciously politically incorrect. She even fits in a bit of a work-out. Star jumps for Jesus anyone? Her Catholic mass as an early form of Zumba class is a genius idea that deserves a double genuflection. She may not fit in, but how many other people can tell killer Dutch cheese jokes and nail the sounds of a tropical rainforest? Vive la difference!

Until August 28

THERE'S no lone star for Texan, Ever Mainard on her Fringe debut. Her show, Let Me Be Your Main Man tackles gender identity, modern feminism and growing up in a place where cows heavily outnumber people. Her style is a rambling reverie of meth heads, McDonald's and being outed by the local newspaper. Disarmingly ditzy, stories are often punctuated by her own giggles. It's as though she's hearing some of them for the first time. Given her Chicago improv background, maybe she is. The opening was admittedly a little nervy. Halfway through though, she finds her groove and shows off some strong comedic chops. There's a Melissa McCarthy in Bridesmaids quality to her work - especially when she really gets her manic on and screams punchlines like verbal exclamation marks. The account of her soon-to-be-scuppered "too gay" wedding is wonderfully funny and crying out to be expanded upon. Similarly, the reiki and rock buying story is new age nonsense at its best and has the audience rootin' and most probably tootin' for this refreshing new talent. "We are all works in progress," she says towards the end of the hour and it's a perfect summary of this show.

Until August 28