Brighton Fringe comedy review

Although still a relative newcomer, Amarpal Singh has a confidence and a playfulness that lights up a stage. He has a tendency to pluck unoriginal low-hanging fruit for an easy laugh, but over the hour, his character as an upbeat Asian, Bradford man, grappling with the demands of fatherhood and the sense of being an outsider, not least in his own family, are fleshed out.

He effortlessly curates an upbeat, friendly atmosphere that enables audience members to feel they can chime in cheerfully and ‘helpfully’ - whethe  correcting him on paleontological terminology, sharing the fact they’re due for a vasectomy or getting into a discussion about ‘carpet’ nightclubs, which is what Singh and his pals call venues where the floor’s sticky. He indulges the interruptions a bit, always in a jovial way, but also keeps the show more-or-less on track, signalling a comic who can control a room.

His show starts with some easy, uninteresting jokes, such as dropping ‘Barnard Castle’ as a punchline or addressing some Asian stereotypes, which he may feel is a necessity even in the most welcoming of audiences. Given that he’s found racial epithets in the most unlikely of mainstream places of pop culture, that’s very understandable. 

But gradually he brings more individual material to bear, reflecting his life and his interests, from an idiot’s guide to Sikhism to a brief rundown of the alternative rock genres he’s into. Anecdotes cover unusual incidents such as a flight layover in Tehran to endearing material about his super-demanding daughter.

Even so, the material’s pretty transitory; it’s Singh’s affable, livewire personality you remember more than his jokes - and not just because as a tall, Mohicanned bloke he’d stand out in any crowd.

Review date: 17 May 2023
Reviewed by: Steve Bennett
Reviewed at: Brighton Caxton Arms