Edinburgh Fringe comedy review

‘It’s naff, it’s old, it’s retro,’ goes one line in Max Fulham’s Edinburgh debut, prompting the reassurance: ‘It’s fine if it’s knowing and ironic.’

Knowing indeed, as Fulham’s a ventriloquist, a talent that’s never quite lost its cheesy stigma, despite the best efforts of Nina Conti and her like.

Fulham’s not as artistically ambitious as she is, but he offers his twists, mainly in the choice of puppets. Grandpa Eugene is fairly standard; Jesus less so. Not that Fulham is particularly sacrilegious here, just cheeky teasing, not offering too much to trouble the vicar. 

Even more inventive is his box of intrusive thoughts which is his primary sidekick. Yet while the set-up is original, the constant self-heckling is pretty much what most ventriloquism is built on. It’s just Fulham makes no secret of the fact this is his real inner monologue, not trying to put it on a defenceless puppet. 

Animating Billy Bear ham is another inventive idea, and apparently his trademark since it features in both the show’s name and his own. Although whether ‘I’m a bit concerned about my meat content’ will become as much of a catchphrase as Orville’s ‘I wish I could fly’ from back in the day is moot.

Technically, Fulham is faultless – so good, in fact, that you constantly have to remind yourself that it’s him speaking not a backing track. A few other party tricks, such as mimicking a supermarket self-checkout, show extra range.

Going fully showbiz in his vivid green suit, Fulham has the slickness and confidence of a pro with decades of experience, natural funny bones and a charm when chatting to the audience.

He needed that tonight, given it took the audience member selected to play his old mentor quite a while to cotton on to what was required, while the hard-laughing Warwickshire woman compelled to interject was put in her place with generosity, not meanness.

It’s a shame there’s no obvious TV outlet for Fulham’s considerable talents, as you can see him enlivening any variety bill with his mildly postmodern, but utterly accessible and cheerily funny shtick. And his Fringe debut is a guaranteed good time, never seeking to offer anything more.

Review date: 11 Aug 2025
Reviewed by: Steve Bennett
Reviewed at: Pleasance Courtyard