Damion Larkin @ Just the Tonic

The title of the show may already have enticed you into it (particularly the more motherly amongst us) but you like Damion Larkin from the start. The show is filled with endearing banter as he debates whether he is a winner or loser. 

There are a fair few cheesy moments and groans of laughter. Whilst these are knowingly given and cheerfully received, Larkin really doesn't need to rely on them. They are forgiven rather than appreciated, and they can undermine his more thoughtful material. He is at his most interesting when talking about his past as a stockbroker. Like so many of today's most successful comedians, he had a high faluting Proper Job before following comedy as a career, and it's partly this – and partly, perhaps, his age – which give him the interesting depth above some of the teen stars of the moment.

The question and answer session at the end is also, somewhat surprisingly, a highlight. It provides an opportunity for some more genuine audience interaction and apparently off-the-cuff material which reveals potential for a stronger show. This is Larkin's first solo Fringe show and these always throw up a few points to be ironed out. Expect him to come back even stronger and funnier next year. Overall verdict, though: Winner. But still cuddly.