Adam Riches Rides!

Intense, messy and gloriously daft, Adam Riches offers a high-speed sketch show pumped full of Fringe spirit. Riches is proof that comedy doesn't have to ponder politics, society and the human condition when just as much fun can be had embarrassing the front row and splashing the stage with probiotic yoghurt.

Each sketch is built around an inspired, absurd idea – Pierce Brosnan as a musical centaur and the use of blowpipes in heavyweight title fights are at the tamer end of the spectrum. All the energy comes from Riches, a powerhouse of a performer with a great talent for coaxing almost anyone into a ridiculous situation. The humour may be anarchic but the show certainly isn't – the expressive Riches is in total control. 

Throughout the show, a story line is slowly developed by Riches and his supporting cast, told chiefly through the medium of slapstick violence. While outbursts of fourth-wall breaking are hardly signs of dramatic experimentation, it adds an extra dimension of fun to the show. The supporting actors and techies also deserve a special mention for their riotous use of sound effects and general prowess in throwing objects.

Riches is unlikely to leave an audience with any great insight into life, love or society – but that's not the point. His show is a prime example of classic daftness and, although some sketches work better than others, Adam Riches Rides! is a sign that Fringe lunacy is in rude health.