Edinburgh Fringe comedy review

Fast approaching 30, Burt Williamson finds himself thinking about fatherhood. It’s neither a yearning nor something he’s ruling out, but he lost his own dad recently, and many of his peers are having kids, so it’s impossible for him to ignore

It’s a subject that weaves its way through this fast show, but doesn’t dominate. Nor do mentions of his father, who was autistic (the comic briefly considers whether he’s inherited this) and had motor neurone disease, affect the pace or the upbeat tone.

He’s crammed a lot into this boldly named show, with topics including his experiences working at an after-school club, weighing up the expense of therapy, and some of the belief systems nurtured within Andrew Tate-style philosophies.

The strongest material flourishes when Williamson spends time with concepts. His riffing on what happens to the blood he’s donated, for example, is particularly strong, as is the way in which he plays with the idea of a shrinking population affecting the economic flow of MILFs. There’s also some good stuff in there about wheelchair accessibility on Jeffrey Epstein’s island.

Williamson, who races through this hour with an almost old-school delivery, has a lot of potential. This show might benefit from a bit of judicious pruning, with more time spent developing those original thoughts that work so well. Definitely one to watch.

Review date: 22 Aug 2024
Reviewed by: Ashley Davies
Reviewed at: PBH's Free Fringe @ Voodoo Rooms