Richard Todd @ Pleasance Courtyard

Richard Todd has returned to the Fringe despite his better judgement and the judgment of those around him. His latest show We Need The Eggs tackles the idea of doomed dreamers who never make it into their chosen field, be it a comedian, painter (like those of whom he works with as an art teacher) or groundbreaking entrepreneur (like his newsagent owning father).

Todd instantly positions himself as an outsider. His slightly stunned reaction to his own audience is like someone seeing light for the first time in a week. Determined to perform is something he seems to have inherited from his father, who also seems to walk blindly into somewhat doomed ventures. Or, as Todd puts it: some people need to chase these strange dreams, even if they never work out.

Expertly crafted in his use of flamboyant language and structure, Todd has slowly built an act that is both fitting to call absurdist and unique. His use of odd turns of phrase seem completely off-the-cuff but are so perfectly weird that it shouldn’t be attributed to anything other than his abilities as a writer and storyteller. Todd’s shabby and eccentric ways are what the fringe should be full of, dreamers who don’t fit into the boxes outside of this art festival, and his natural charm is something that belongs on stage.

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Richard Todd: We Need The Eggs, Pleasance Courtyard (The Attic), 1-26 Aug (not 15), 10:45pm, £6-9.50

Scroll on to read more of The Skinny's 2018 Edinburgh Fringe comedy reviews; click here for a round-up of all the best reviews from this year's comedy and theatre programmes