Brighton Fringe comedy review

The content of James Danielewski’s debut show is a relatively straightforward ‘and this is me’ affair. And what he is, is gay - a fact that’s the bedrock of almost all his anecdotes - Northern, and a charming, friendly comedian.

His nice-guy demeanour sweetens the more overtly sexual content, meaning Rainbow Trout is as mainstream as show containing stories about being sucked off in public can get. 

That incident resulted in him being arrested at Brighton Pride, where the bar for attracting police attention is pretty high. You’d never suspect such outlandish behaviour given his respectable facade.

While Danielewski projects, at least superficially, the image of a well-balanced person, a recurring comic device is to describe an internal battle between his no-nonsense, perennially unimpressed Grimsby side and his more progressive Brighton side, now he lives in this liberal epicentre. In his version of the ‘two wolves’ meme, he sees one aspect of his personality as a gruff, trawler-caught haddock, the other as a sparkly My Little Pony.

The former is also sometimes personified by his family, especially his stepdad, who teeters unpredictably between being accepting and being reactionary. We also get to know a little more about his mum, grandfather, and brother - autistic, the comic assumes, to add a touch of neurospiciness to the show’s mix. 

Most supporting characters are introduced by way of their reaction to his coming out or living his life as a gay man. His sexuality informs almost all of his material, from explicit routines – including a stand-out in which he describes being crippled by fear of transgressing a racially sensitive boundary while fully in flagrante – to gentle double entendres about gay ju-jitsu clubs. 

More generic observations are more forgettable, such as his ironic desire to still use ‘that’s so gay’ as an insult or his attempts to reclaim the word ‘bender’, an aim so definitively covered by Scottish comic Larry Dean already. Meanwhile, he challenges a couple of stereotypes, being no fan of either Grinder or Ru Paul’s Drag Race, which could be considered positively sacrilegious. 

As well as his dating history, our introduction to Danielewski also covers a slither of his career CV, though he seems the most unlikely GP’s receptionist, given he’s such an accommodating character. More significant than any specific bit of material is the fact that an hour in his cordial company is an easy-going delight.

Review date: 6 May 2025
Reviewed by: Steve Bennett
Reviewed at: Brighton Caroline of Brunswick