Jason John Whitehead: Emotional Whitemale

It's always nice to see a comedian push outside their comfort zone. Despite his puppyish persona, Canadian Jason John Whitehead is a seasoned comic who's been coming to the Fringe for years, but he says he's often characterised as a haphazard druggy who can only entertain drunken crowds. To counter this, he's booked himself into a 4pm slot at the Stand's genteel second venue. The gamble more-or-less pays off, though it turns out he's able to get away with a bit more risque material than he'd expected the afternoon crowd to accept.

Whitehead is a one-man mixed bill of stand-up styles, from twee surrealism featuring creatures from his native land - rabbits, elks and moose - to borderline misogyny and political incorrectness. Curiously, the audience today seems more inclined towards the latter, causing him to speculate that the wet weather and the heat has made us "a bit more evil" than at previous shows. The edgier material seems to be informed by a sort of libertarian standpoint that sees him advocating everything from universal drug provision for criminals to allowing parents to hit kids; but there's no telling how serious he is about any of it, as he constantly tells us that he's only joking and in any case his grinning, childlike charm tends to take the edge off. It's nothing groundbreaking, but Whitehead's willingness to adapt his material to audience taste is the sign of a consummate professional, and it's that which makes this show a sure bet for a slightly leftfield afternoon laugh.