Tom Stade

Assembly Rooms

Five stars

Craig Campbell

Assembly Rooms

Four stars

Glenn Wool

Assembly George Square

Four stars

Marianne Gunn

There's said to be a special affinity that the Scots have with Canadians - and vice versa. A shared self-deprecating humour (and perhaps a rumbling suspicion towards respective southern neighbours) means there is frequently common ground. Canadian Tom Stade is having a problem these days, though. Living in the UK he has never classed himself as an immigrant until a queer encounter in the GAP put him straight. Preferring the term foreign national, he cleverly and controversially explores some of the prejudice out there and never shies away from outrageous shock techniques.

Even from the outset of his show You're Welcome, when he was heckling the Elaine C Smith security voiceover intro, Stade is a comic in control. From regaling tales from Glastonbury where he spent his time vintage shopping and hoping to hang out with Lionel Richie to his rundown of daytime telly and dealings with his smelly squatters (his teenage children) all of his material features his observational style and trademark simple storytelling knack. Interacting with mainly the front row of the audience, Stade was very comfortable in his repartee although he probably went a little too far in his closing moments. Expect to be shocked, expect to guffaw with laughter, expect him to be sold out soon, so get your tickets now.

(runs to August 30)

Although not playing the ballroom yet, Craig Campbell had the studio space at capacity, welcoming the lively Saturday night crowd with rock vocals on entrance and exit. The long-haired Canadian's show Don't Look Down is a whirlwind hour of reflections and ruminations, structured and punctuated by some slick audience interaction. A front row of fellow Canadians helped him feel at home, although it was the banter with a Belgian that had the most humorous outcome. Never attacking his audience, Campbell instead pokes fun in a good-natured manner and his style is natural, warm and - at times - a little bit raucous. Having found more commercial success in the last few years (like Stade he has also supported and collaborated with Scot Frankie Boyle), Campbell regales his audience with tales of rural Devon life and Amsterdam high jinks, always making the meandering journey an amusing one.

(runs to August 30)

Glenn Wool is a stalwart Canadian offering at the Fringe - he has been doing the comedy rounds for almost 20 years (and it seems it's a miracle he has survived this long). His show has a religious bent this year and, as he has used the word Creator in his title, he ended up with an audience member who took umbrage with his views on white people in general and (perhaps) Christians in particular. Apart from that flouncing exit of a blip, the rest of Wool's set ponders theological questions and although no concrete answers are given it is clear that he believes in a higher power when it comes to the wider universe at least.

Some segments of the show are slicker than others and it could probably be trimmed by 10 minutes to make it a snappier affair. There are admittedly elements of racism and misogyny, and Wool even created an audience divide promoting a "them and us" culture between his left and right hand side. However, when he is being outrageous he gives the knowing wink, or waves his camp comedy flag, or packs a killer pun(ch), which takes away any awkward sting that he might actually mean what he's saying. Not a perfect show, but there's a definite element of unpredictability that probably means it'll always be an exciting ticket.

(runs to August 30)