Review: YURIKO KOTANI: KAIJU ABOUT, Pleasance Dome

Yuriko Kotani is searching for her inner 'kaiju'. Determined to shake things up, the Japanese Londoner talks us through her battle with her inner monster, who seems to be more foe than friend.

The hurdles she's facing include break-ups, everyday racism, loneliness and bowel-related mishaps. But this comedian won't be deterred, and armed with self-care and her Boss Bitch outfit, she embarks on a quest for contentment.

Kotani is a quietly brilliant comic who delivers every line with refreshing gentility. Expertly inviting the audience into her life, she wraps her comedy up in gorgeous anecdotes, delivering each razor-sharp punchline with more cosy charm than a pub fire in Winter.

A noticeable trend in comedy sets this Fringe has been the presence of the post-lockdown tinge of sadness. Comedians, like us mere mortals, have had a bit of a tough time. Kotani shares her own troubles with a hopeful narrative trajectory. There's no manual for getting back on your feet (well, according to Kotani there is, but its success is limited), but the quest for feeling-a-bit-less-shit is always a worthwhile undertaking. Enchanting comedy by an enchanting comedian.

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