COMEDY

Three weeks of performing at the Fringe sorts the kids from the grownups. By now your show has caught the collective Fringe audience imagination or it’s sunk, soon to be forgotten. Daniel-Ryan Spaulding’s Free Fringe stand-up show: Free, Sexy, Love, Money is clearly a huge success. He played to a capacity audience tonight and it’s no surprise to hear he has extended his run.

At the top of the show the openly gay Canadian confessed to having high self esteem – a state of being he clearly deserves. Spalding isn’t arrogant or sneering, but he’s intelligent and above all, very funny. He’s also adaptable, making the most of the fact that a number of Scottish Bears were in to see tonight’s show. He describes the audience as his “Circle of Love”. Yes, we’re up for that.

Whether discussing TV show Murder She Wrote (“which succeeds in being both morbid and whimsical”), the offensiveness (or not) of the word “cocksucker”, the Grinder app for the iPhone, or sending up the hard working lesbians with a heart of gold, Spalding is on solid ground.

His material is tight, his delivery is strong and his timing is perfect. He doesn’t fit into the public image of the comedy gay yet, but when society is ready, Daniel-Ryan Spalding will fit the bill.