Tom Craine is such a polite young man its hard to imagine that he was ever addicted to anything. But as his new show, From Choirboy To Addict And Back Again, skilfully attests, he hasnt always been the golden boy. Craines show is one of the few on the fringe that actually lives up to the narrative promise of its title leading us clearly through his own personal journey, bumps and all. Nicely packed with humorous observations this is a deeply funny set that wins its audience over with large dollops of charm and a gentle charisma that belies Craines fragile frame. There is an amiable feeling that we are all friends for an hour as Craine excels in making his audience comfortable even in unpleasantly sweaty conditions. When he implores that we should meet his parents, some of the nicest people one can imagine, you almost feel as though he means it and that one day you will. A slightly shambolic delivery masks an assured undercurrent that inspires confidence and his material links intelligently. He softly ridicules both the social pressures that forced him to quit singing and his own insecurities that led him astray. Stories of his nephews are genuinely touching (no one can be sad whilst doing a handstand apparently think about it, you really cant be), as is his affectionate lampooning of his current local choir in Finsbury Park. A student of Developmental Psychology Craines description of his fall from grace is an intriguingly self aware one. But whilst he has promised that this show will be more personal than his last, From Choirboy To Addict And Back Again could perhaps benefit from a bit more rawness and danger for Craine to fully realise his talent as a comic; it does err a little on the safe side. An intelligent, amusing and energising hour however, this is a lovely little taster into the mind of one of Edinburghs most affable comedians.
