Sid Singh: Table for One played to a sold out crowd (which is always impressive for the Free Fringe) making us chuckle from the off as he himself was corralling the crowd and ensuring everyone had a seat. “It’s just an hour of me seating people, really” he good-naturedly quips as we sense the time to begin is near.
Then we get a truly remarkable set. Living up to the promise that he’s not going to make his show a ‘fish out of water’ tale about being of Indian heritage, instead leading us amusingly around the comedy streets of his life; from family life growing up in super liberal California to having to balance his love of comedy with his fierce desire to engage in politics and law.
Halfway through Sid Singh: Table for One my brain tricked me into thinking I was watching a commissioned Netflix show, he was that slick, that sharp, that in-flow with his material (not that he wasn’t capable of tangents – he had some genius moments off piste) and that tuned in to the comedic zeitgeist that I could imagine him successfully filling much, much bigger venues.
Singh somehow has mass appeal and yet gets away with swearing like a trooper and positioning most of his material in a place that’s openly courting the disdain of anyone too right wing.
There’s a strong message here too; also perfectly pitched. You don’t feel bashed over the head with his plea for us to “do the bare minimum” to make the world a better place but you do hear it loud and clear.
Non-stop laughs from a comedian who is destined for big things. Sid Singh: Table for One is the highest quality comedy show I’ve ever seen on the Free Fringe.
Sid Singh: Table for One is playing at the Main Room at Laughing Horse @ Cabaret Voltaire at 4.15pm until Sunday 27th of August.
