Reasons to be cheerful. In 2024 at the age of 30 and just seven years after first getting on a stage, Scottish working-class boy Connor Burns is selling out at the Fringe. And not in a venue that is basically a cupboard for the rest of the year. No, a proper church hall space with a big ceiling and lots of temporary seating.
In short, Burns has arrived. And given that he’s from Edinburgh – the real one, not, as he points out, the shortbread tin version of the city that’s on offer during August – that must be satisfying.
It’s also deserved. Here is an authentic Scottish voice. And a gallus one at that.
The title 1994 refers to the year Burns was born and turning 30 provides a loose theme for a show that takes in trips to the barber, the fortunes of the Scottish international football team and Burns’s suggestion for a new national anthem.
Let’s be honest, Burns is hardly reinventing the wheel here. This is straightforward observational stand-up, but none the worse for that. Burns himself is likeable, entertaining company, though, when it comes to it, he’s not afraid to call a …
Actually, I’m not sure his riff on Scottish derivations of the C word is really virgin territory these days. And for some reason everyone is doing a Donald Trump impersonation at the Fringe this year.
But these are minor quibbles. This is a proper old-school hour of comedy from a bright young talent. More of the same please.
Connor Burns: 1994, Just the Tonic Nucleus, 9.45pm, until August 25 (except August 12)
Extra shows on August 17 and 18 at 16.00, Just the Tonic Nucleus
https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/connor-burns-1994
Teddy Jamieson
