Rhys Nicholson @ Underbelly Bristo Square

Now a stalwart of the Edinburgh Fringe, Rhys Nicholson’s latest hour meditates on queerness, relationships and questions about having a family. In the past year, Nicholson’s got hitched and had “the chat” with their partner about whether having kids feels right for them both (although rarely does it happen when you’re suspended in the air following a child-packed Christmas break).

It’s plain to see why Nicholson’s audiences flock back year after year. They’re an easy watch, with a lot to like for most. There’s teen escapades with bad influence Marcus and a genuinely innovative 90s business idea (the show’s biggest laugh); there’s chat about getting into weed in your 30s and a tug on the heartstrings when we learn about their parents’ financial difficulties across Nicholson’s childhood. The content isn’t groundbreaking, but we’re taken on an entertaining and enjoyable ride.

It does, however, all feel a little staid, like Nicholson’s on autopilot. It hits all the right notes, but doesn’t seem to push past that. Although they’re reactive to their audience, there’s a sense that we’re just going through the motions. Punchlines don’t quite sing as they could, with no riffing with the audience for added highs (though perhaps it’s a defence mechanism in front of a rowdy weekend crowd). The topics appear a bit tame and only really scratch the surface on subjects which deserve more of a skewering. Huge Big Party Congratulations! is crowd-pleasing stuff, just lacking a little bite.

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Rhys Nicholson: Huge Big Party Congratulations!, Underbelly Bristo Square (Ermintrude), until 25 Aug, 8.25pm, £8.50-15