Des Clarke is one of the few indigenous Scottish stand-ups performing at the Fringe. Famous for his quick-fire delivery, you sometimes have to listen carefully to catch the throwaway gags buried in his stream of consciousness patter.
That said, his comedy machine gun got a bit stuck on the night that Broadway Baby caught the show, with him apologising at the end that he hadn't quite made the grade at some points.
He builds the comedy momentum slowly and carefully, with an extensive riff on his visit to a fortune teller, during which he scampers off on various tangents, all sprinkled with clever one liners and subtly witty puns and word play.
It's true that parts of the act deserved a 2-star rating, but there were plenty of 4-star moments to even them out. Hopefully it was a one-off aberration, and he'll be back on top form if you catch this likeable young comic.
