Jim Campbell: Beef | Edinburgh Fringe review by Julia Chamberlain
review star review star review star review blank star review blank star

Jim Campbell: Beef

Note: This review is from 2019

Edinburgh Fringe review by Julia Chamberlain

Jim Campbell welcomed us, with all sincerity, to a safe space, promising nobody was going to be upset or traumatised, despite the subject matter. Having been through the mill of a broken engagement and a lifelong tussle with depression and desire for validation, of course he became a comedian…
 
He speaks about day-dreaming, which for him is not pleasurable, but catastrophising, imagining impossible worst-case outcomes that contribute to his anxiety. And this is the full-on medical variety, the ‘whole-body pins and needles after a hangover’, as he vividly puts it.
 
He provided a good patchwork of lengthy stories, which with a judicious edit would be as good to read in a column as they were to hear. Striving to be a better person and shake off his Campbell heritage (as he explained to the unaware, his clan did something nefarious a few centuries ago), he is bent on some kind of psychological atonement and self-improvement. Or at least that’s the peg on which to hang the show.  

It was far more fun than I have made it sound. Careering through bad relationships, a lack of structure in his face, and the pros and cons of anti-depressants, the show fairly zipped along.  

This is not a cathartic, therapy show, even though he addressed some big subjects. It is lighthearted enough, but I felt it could have done with some variation of pace and rhythm. Just slow down a bit to let the material breathe and the laughter have some space.

Review date: 18 Aug 2019
Reviewed by: Julia Chamberlain

We see you are using AdBlocker software. Chortle relies on advertisers to fund this website so it’s free for you, so we would ask that you disable it for this site. Our ads are non-intrusive and relevant. Help keep Chortle viable.