Maeve Higgins: Personal Best

Maeve Higgins’ sweetly stuttering form of delivery is disturbingly engrossing and whilst it shouldn’t work it somehow does, just about. A bundle of low self-esteem and quiet confidence Higgins is certainly a constantly intriguing package. Where she could drown in tooth-ache inducing sweetness, she manages to keep the most cynical of us alongside her by occasionally revealing an iron cast will; she may be nice but she’s not a push-over.

Along with close friend Josie Long, Higgins is not out to focus on the things that piss her off but rather to take a dip into the things that delight her or make her cry. Maeve Higgins: Personal Best is full of bumbling observations about such charming curios; like the man with four strands of hair streaked across his balding head who, in the face of wind and rain persistently pushes them back over to maintain his illusion. Or her 82-year-old neighbour who calls her up regularly for numbers because she can’t use 118 118.

It’s an immensely likeable format. Half way between 'material' and improvised ramblings, she’s like your quietly spoken but sharply witty friend. But it does become frustrating to be constantly on the brink of laughter, only for her purposely broken rhythm to pull you back again. Ultimately, whilst you would like to be friends with Higgins and she’s the kind of person your Granny would love, this show is always one hesitant step away from being a personal best.