by ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
Larry Dean has made the Edinburgh Comedy Awards shortlist at three previous Fringes, and I wouldn’t be surprised if gets another Best Show nomination in 2024, too.
It’s surprising to hear Dean say he hasn’t quite connected with American audiences, because his faculty with voices and his command of the crowds would seem to make him an easy fit. Dean has a slyly subversive way about him. Not like Elvis, even if that’s the comp he’d prefer. He jokes about being proud to be gay, but not nearly as much as he’s proud of being Scottish. Either way, he has sculpted a laugh-out-loud hour that his 98-year-old nan would’ve been proud to see and hear. Perhaps the only thing keeping this from reaching 5-star levels? A bit of crowd work with a drunk punter that went so sideways, Dean stopped the show to tell us that despite 10 years in stand-up, he had no idea what to do. Keep going!
And get your arse back to America where there’s an even bigger crowd for Dean to win over.
Larry Dean “Dodger” plays at Monkey Barrel during the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe
