Edinburgh Fringe comedy review

This is a rather lovely piece of storytelling based on the 2006  Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz romcom The Holiday, but much else besides.

Former film student Danny Ward worked on the movie as an assistant to designer Jon Hutman, and he kicks off his show with a deliberately shoddy low-budget video recap of the perennial Christmas favourite for those in the room (men, obviously) who are unaware of it.

The easygoing comedian  offers some behind-the-curtain glimpses into the ridiculous process of film-making, describing his appalling treatment as a runner, with unreasonable demands made on his time and mental health. Seeing the huge waste of effort that goes into the process no doubt inspired him to adopt the mantra ‘don’t let perfection be the enemy of the good’.

Ward also experienced his own version The Holiday when he house-swapped with a pal who lived in Los Angeles, a story which forms the main body of the show thanks to his neighbour there, a Trump-loving conspiracy theorist called Martin. Not a man Ward is likely to have been friends with back in London, but in California they end up hanging out together, going to a dine-in-the-dark restaurant usually frequented by romantic couples and even a bull-riding contest where the comic proudly uttered the ‘funniest thing I ever said’.

It was, indeed, a good line, although there are plenty of them in this witty, well-constructed hour, told with a great deal of self-deprecating charm. Onto the main narrative, Ward bolts several strong stand-up sections about everything from the fake  etymology of ‘backronyms’  (Posh does not stand for port out, starboard home’, for example) to woking as  jobbing comic when you don’t have ‘fuck you’ money. They are smart and funny routines, worn lightly.

This is an Edinburgh show so it would be remiss of Ward not to add some emotional heft, but again it’s executed with a deft touch, authentically heartfelt without artificially mining the situation for every last drop of pathos.

The show feels conversational, but only at the end do you see how every part had its place, with a satisfying, impactful conclusion proving the final flourish for this elegant and funny hour. Ward might have been happy to settle for ‘good’ over ‘perfect’, but has ended up with ‘exceptional’.

Review date: 25 Aug 2025
Reviewed by: Steve Bennett