Words: Calum Baxter
Image: Piers Allerdyce

4 Stars

Double Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee Andrew Maxwell gauges the demographic of his
audience before launching into a brief history lesson on the life of the late Queen Elizabeth II. This
culminates with a gag involving the UK’s shortest serving Prime Minister and sets a precedent for
the rest of his hour as he expertly weaves his narrative while savouring the crowds’
nervous anticipation before an eventual punchline. Maxwell’s set flows effortlessly
between biting political satire and personal anecdotes about his life.

As he approaches his 50th birthday at the end of this year, Andrew has had time to reflect on his
life, from his changing sexual proclivities to his ability to laugh at himself as well as reassess how
seriously he will take various aspects of his life. Despite retaining some semblance of wisdom,
Andrew concedes that he continues to predictably make a complete fool of himself at least once or
twice a year, referencing a particular occasion where he accidentally sent a saucy message meant
for his wife to an Uber driver.

As this well-crafted hour drew to a close, I found myself wishing for more time in the company of
this seasoned performer. The last section of the show takes on less levity as the focus shifts to his
family, ending on a sentimental note captivating the audience without sacrificing any laughs and
drawing the performance to a satisfying end.

Andrew Maxwell: The Bare Maximum
Just the Tonic Nucleus – Just the Tonic’s Atomic Room
17:40
Aug 17 – 25