SSP first saw Andy White at around 2am at the Meadows Bar and he was on fire, using his incredible wit to turn on hecklers or late comers with an energy which would put many an accomplished comedian to shame.

From that great introduction we thought we'd head down to the Argyle to see how his new show, I think therefore I joke, was shaping up.

I think therefore I joke is White's delve into the world of philosophy and its meaning today.

To kick it off White gives an example of why as a native Brummy he has grown accustomed to the stereotype that all people from Birmingham are pretty dumb before launching into a philosophical tirade on how to stop a guy smoking on the back of a bus.

The anecdote forms the central theme for the show, with White trying to convince his smoking nemesis not to light up while on public transport with a raft of philosophical concepts.

White moves through the world of Pythagoras, Kant and Nietzsche while challenging his audience to understand the economics of inflation, being guilty by association, and the reasons why incest is wrong.

The show plays with the idiosyncrasies of human minds ability to be utterly illogical, which is a theme he should develop. White can deftly move away from the philosophy behind the concept look at the ridiculous way we run our lives.

It is exigent comedy. At one point White jokes that his show has turned into a class. The irony is that at times it was. He seems more concerned with educating an audience rather than delivering a punch line and it isn't quite the comedy that you come to expect.

The set is like a lot at the fringe, 45 minutes which have been stretched to an hour. That hour though holds the genesis of an intelligent comedy set

White has an element of comic genius up his sleeve and once he finds a balance between the punch-line and the theory he will be one to watch.

Tim Clark

Andy White is playing at the Argyle pub at 7pm until August 24th.

Such Small Portions at the Edinburgh Fringe, in association with Virgin Trains

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