Wilson Dixon's American Dream

From beneath a wide Stetson, Wilson Dixon delivers a slack-jawed account of the American dream. After his wife leaves him for the man next door, he takes off for Nashville, hoping to make a name for himself on the country music circuit. Upon arrival, however, he realises that the bright lights aren’t for him and returns home, a little jaded but all the wiser.

Jesse Winch's character comedy is based upon the rich cultural heritage of Americana, with tired concepts such as the open road, unyielding patriotism and man’s best friend used throughout. There is something of a focus in his songs on what could be called ‘straight-talk’, where aphorisms are broken down and shown to be overly flowery or nonsensical. Several tunes in the set concern Dixon’s distaste for phrases such as ‘head over heels’ – being a stern, hoedown-lovin’ country boy, he can only say what he means.

Dixon is hugely popular in Edinburgh, and this year’s festival run is nearly sold out. Stylistically, his set is excellent: the repartee is drawling and laconic, and he seems utterly invested in his character’s persona. Yet audiences looking for something beyond a basic critique of American ignorance will be disappointed. Commentary upon American chutzpah ("we invented freedom") and the idiocy of the Midwestern hillbilly is now practically ubiquitous. Whilst Dixon’s set is charming at times, it's undermined by some lukewarm cultural platitudes.