Show Rating:

This is an excellent debut show from Liverpool comic Ian Fox. Tucked away at the Meadows Bar; it would not be out of place at one of the swankier venues. His quick delivery engages your attention from the off and he obviously has a great ear for the rhythm of natural speech. There's something very satisfying about having ASBO, EBay and ER all in the same sentence.

As with many catchwords, we all think we know what the Butterfly Effect is, but his various analogies for it help fix if firmly in the mind. (It demonstrates a chain reaction which leads from a trivial incident to a massive result, by tiny knock-on effects) and the story of its discovery by Edward Lorenz is fascinating and relevant and,in Fox's hands, very amusing.

The facts and the science in the first section are interspersed with some excellent lines and ideas, seamlessly blending natural club comedy with higher intent ­ there's plenty to think about here.

The middle section of the show places psychic prediction under scrutiny. (Yes, it is all bollocks). Illustrated with fascinating examples, one cites an uncanny coincidence in a Daily Telegraph crossword and a sinking ship. He touches on phobias and fetishes and leads us into the final section of the show. He warns us that this is essentially a lengthy piece of storytelling from which he can't pull out if we're not going with it. There's no danger of that as he's already successfully hooked your attention with his intelligent work and relaxed wit. The pace does slow, but it's not a problem.

This is good use of an afternoon slot, performed without gimmicky technology, if only because Ian Fox has had his own run in with the butterfly effect. The show succeeds admirably in being smart, funny and entertaining without a whiff of smugness.

Julia Chamberlain