Ed Night @ Monkey Barrel at The Hive

Perhaps it's the bright orange, Alcatraz-issue tee shirt that gives it away – Ed Night is not feeling quite himself. He's not even sure if he's watching Channel 5 or Channel 4+1 any more. He has a litany of mental health problems, and some pressing medical tests that may or may not be good news. In this frightening, in your face, are-the-brakes-working hour, we get the full pressure cooker experience of a man at war with himself, struggling to create a future for his partner and potential children, and still haunted by past mistakes. 

It's been curious to hear so many comedians still referencing the pandemic at this Fringe, but unlike some others, Night manages to navigate his trips back in time without veering into corniness or self pity. Even that observational perennial, the self-checkout machine at the supermarket, is handled with a lightness of touch that breathes new life into an old idea.   

The jokes come mainly at his own expense, though there is some audience interaction thrown in to ensure no-one gets too comfortable. Night paces the stage with an intense stare, clawing at his hair and his top in a manner which suggests a deep discomfort in his own skin. You can't help but root for him, even when the objects of his affection swing from monster giant ants to The Laughing Cow.

It's an hour which seems to gain momentum as it progresses, and there are elements of the runaway train which inevitably fall slightly short. An extended riff on XL Bully dogs seems almost too cute for Night's otherwise savage melancholy, but in a set which has asked us to consider the intricacies of Scooby Doo's complicated relationship with his cartoon colleagues, a small canine detour seems like a price worth paying.

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Ed Night: The Plunge, Monkey Barrel @ The Hive (Hive 2), until 25 Aug, 7.35pm, £7-£10.50