Amy Matthews @ Monkey Barrel Comedy

There are two types of stand-up that anyone who has served time at the Fringe will recognise. Both the ‘break-up’ show and the ‘diagnosis’ show (a delve into personal medical revelations) are familiar Fringe staples at this point, to such an extent that it can be difficult to find a fresh perspective within either. Definitions of Toast delves into both of these categories, but what Amy Matthews achieves within 60 minutes is delightfully original. 

In a market oversaturated with trauma mining and stripped of authenticity, Definitions of Toast is the perfect illustration of how comedy and therapy can be intrinsically connected. Themes of alcoholism, love, sexuality, honesty and self-awareness are dealt with such lyrical deftness and astute understanding that the punchlines and catharsis from each passing phrase carry equal weight and importance.

The show starts with the simple concept that Matthews is unable to experience anger. This evolves so naturally over the show's runtime that the stunning finale feels entirely earned, righteous and monumentally moving. 

There are moments in the ‘lukewarm’ theme of the show where jokes can feel equally half-baked, with segments about how people walking slowly can be frustrating, or discussing how hard middle aged men have it (with a well-timed wink). Mathew’s poised and elegant veneer does a lot of the heavy lifting in the show's more rudimentary sections, helping it to keep its pace. As the initial gleam slips, it gives way to an incredibly powerful vulnerability that leaves her with what’s surely a contender for the greatest closer of the Fringe this year. 

Offering brutally raw reflections, a lilting Essex charm and a dastardly taste for the mischievous, Definitions of Toast is one of the most fulfilling, funny and refreshing experiences you can have this August.

---

Amy Matthews: Definitions of Toast, Monkey Barrel Comedy (O'Neill's, The Tron), until 30 Aug (not 12, 19, 26), 3pm, £15.50