EDINBURGH 2023: Review: RHYS JAMES: SPILT MILK, Pleasance Courtyard, Pleasance One

As someone who has only recently got into the world of standup, particularly with British comedians, I’ve only seen a few of the UK’s iconic comedy shows. James isn’t new to the Fringe, he’s been coming up for the festival for thirteen years now, which is clear by how quick and sharp his show, Spilt Milk, is. 

James has fantastic delivery and does a great job responding to the crowd, whether he’s admiring their applause or making fun of their lack of energy as a Sunday night crowd. He forms connections with a few members of the audience and checks up on them throughout the show, creating a storyline not only on stage but within the crowd, something that I haven’t seen in a standup routine at the Fringe so far.

Each of the stories that James tells is funny and engaging, with nothing ever being too serious. There is no “gut punch” moment like most Fringe standup shows have, which I appreciated, as sometimes you need to go to a comedy show to just laugh and have a fun time.

James talks (more like rants) about several topics including children, Love Island, and mindfulness. Even though he shows frustration at most of these subjects, it is never anger, just playful comments on what he doesn’t like about each of the different concepts. One of my favourite bits was one on the uselessness of New Year's resolutions, which played into a great bit of audience interaction that helped give the show a fantastic ending. 

Ultimately, Rhys James: Spilt Milk is a fun show that gives James the chance to show off his standup skills, a delightful thing to see for those of us who have only seen snippets of his comedy in shows like Mock the Week. 

Rhys James: Spilt Milk ran at Pleasance Courtyard, Pleasance One at 19:30 from 14 to 20 August.

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