Pleasance Courtyard
until 24 Aug
7.15pm
£9-£12 (£8-£10.50).

Nish Kumar returns to the Fringe for his ninth year, to a cosy venue at the Pleasance Courtyard.  A total sell out for an unusually cold Tuesday August evening.  Kumar explains the title of his show, ‘Ruminations on the Nature of Subjectivity’ – it’s all about opinions and how we express them.  Demonstrating this by peoples likes/dislikes of certain TV sit coms and reasons why. But Kumar does not mind if we do not find him funny, as everyone‘s entitled to their own opinion…

Open to that thought, Kumar proceeds to touch the topic of race, making a nod at ’12 Years A Slave’ and ‘Slumdog Millionaire’.  Makes light of the fact that being an Indian comic, racism does not bother him, as he jokes no racist is going to come and watch him, with a name like Nish Kumar, doing stand-up for an hour!   His experience touring the aptly named, Isle of Whyte, was something of a surprise.  Race bingo anyone?  He’s had many people tackle his race themes, but he seems undeterred by them and if anything it supplies him with more hilarious material!

Kumar swiftly rattles through gag after gag, leaving us barely a moment to gain our breath from laughing.   His polished delivery seems effortless.  What is correct race comedy he queries?  And then acts an amusing sketch demonstrating the differences between Whites and Indians.  Bollywood would be proud!  At the age of 28, the chocolate Fraser geek, now has a girlfriend! ‘A nice lady’, who regnosises that he’s an introvert pessimist, self centred and egotistic, all of which he entirely agrees with!  As later he compliments himself, “I am very clever” after a witty comment.  It all ends with his observation that Google is making us stupid, rendering us unfit to concentrate for long periods of time and being easily distracted, to which he thanks us for experiencing him in the long form.  4 stars.

Reviewer : Sarah Lewis