Words: Michael Whitham

Comedy is in Zach Zucker’s bones. By turns irresistibly charismatic and irrepressibly silly, he powers his way through slapstick, songs and everything in between in this high-kicking and high-octane hour. Zucker describes his characters as people who live inside him, and in fact he does feel rather like a man possessed, allowing his creations to nimbly take over every gesture and expression. This is a show with heart, and Zucker’s love of making people laugh is apparent and infectious – whether it’s with song, rhyme or the simplicity of some very silly (very punny) little cardboard numbers. The hour is loosely assembled around a premise – that of Zucker as a perennially out of work actor coming to Edinburgh in a vain attempt to network. That thread feels slightly underdeveloped at the moment, although with some sharpening it could be used to great effect. Despite that, his gifts as a comedian and as a character actor are undeniable and this fun and feverish hour is a showcase indeed.

Zach Zucker: Spectacular Comedy Showcase is on at 7.50pm at the Monkey Barrel until August 28th