Review: Ali Brice: I Tried To Be Funny, But You Weren’t Looking

Ali Brice, photo by Miranda Holms

Part of the Free Fringe line-up, Ali Brice is back in Edinburgh with a new zest for life. Successfully combining silly with serious, he’s ready to talk about everything from friendship and therapy to breakfast oats and riding on his father’s knee.

Three years after nearly shuffling off this mortal coil, Ali Brice is marvelling at every-day wonders. How people drink in different ways, how to eat a sausage, and the excessive hairiness of his best friend. Therapy – and the love of a good woman – has helped him back on his feet, and his enthusiasm is contagious. Even when the audience interaction doesn’t yield much in terms of comedic material, he still gets the laughs thanks to cheerful perseverance.

Creative use of wooden blinds provides visual gags as well as a window to his world, in which he manages to strike a fine balance between light and dark. Talking about mental health is not unusual in comedy but being both funny and sincere about it is. There are no riveting stories or memorable jokes in this hour, but its strength lies precisely here, in the ordinary. This show is an uplifting experience in a safe pair of hands, belonging to a man who seems genuinely happy to be alive.