Edinburgh 2013: Aisling Bea - An hour of high-energy comedy that is puppyishly irresistible

Gilded Balloon

Alice Jones
Friday 16 August 2013 09:55 BST
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Aisling Bea arrives at the Fringe with her debut show on a wave of hype after winning the So You Think You're Funny? competition last year
Aisling Bea arrives at the Fringe with her debut show on a wave of hype after winning the So You Think You're Funny? competition last year

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Aisling Bea arrives at the Fringe with her debut show on a wave of hype after winning the So You Think You're Funny? competition last year. With this high-energy, puppyishly irresistible hour, she lives up to it.

The 29-year old comedian was born with the gift of the gab. Now something of a motormouth, she blames her frenetic delivery on being the daughter of a jockey and hearing the high-speed strains of the Cheltenham racing commentary from the womb. It makes for a packed hour as she races through routines about her native Ireland, Zumba, Liam Neeson and body image at double time.

It is a pleasure to watch someone attack a show right out of the starting gate. Bea takes no chances, refusing to let the pace dip for a moment, seizing a hula hoop or a penny whistle when it shows the slightest sign of doing so. Eager to please and unafraid of looking silly, she wins over the room almost instantly but it's a lengthy, almost gynaecological, recreation of her teenage visits to the local country disco that finally ramps the hilarity in the room to gasping levels to match her own exertions. Previous winners of So You Think You're Funny include Dylan Moran and Peter Kay - you wouldn't bet against Bea following in their footsteps. One to watch.

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