Freya Parker @ Underbelly Bristo Square

“This is not a trauma comedy show,” says Freya Parker, undercutting a gag about the disappointment of finally satisfying the ‘Visibly Over 25’ check at a supermarket as someone “uncomfortably past 30”. And it’s not – at a Fringe that’s seen a lot of buzzy shows covering the very heaviest of topics, Parker’s interests are largely universal, not to say quotidian. But, as the show’s title suggests, this is an hour that certainly does carry with it a certain weight. Parker’s here to talk about ageing (and ageing as a woman, and ageing as an actor), and “fighting time”.

Parker introduces herself as ‘da baby’, a person who’s defined themselves by their youth. She's struggling both with the inevitable progress of time (being seen differently by others, having the structure of one’s own time changed completely by having children) and by some distinctly modern concerns about the future we’re heading into: AI, TikTok, and the looming spectre of tech billionaires. “We only get one chance at being alive,” Parker says. The question, as youth begins to fade and we look down the barrel of the “middle bit” of our lives, is who to be now.

If that all sounds a little heavy for a comedy show, it is. There’s an undeniable note of sadness to the show that Parker has written here, with flashes of insight and candour. But this is also a stand-up show, and where it falls down is in the jokes. Parker is best known as one half of excellent sketch comedy duo Lazy Susan, and we feel her often pulling into character and sketch comedy to land a faltering gag. There are smart thoughts here, but we can feel Parker – a performer well used to delivering her insights through character – struggling to turn them into jokes instead.

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Freya Parker: An Hour of Decay, Underbelly Bristo Square (Dexter), until 30 Aug, 2.45pm, £13-£15