Dr Neal Portenza Performs His Own Autopsy Live On Stage. One Night Only. (Obviously).

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If the very thought of fully interactive standup comedy makes your toes curl, it might be worth steering clear of Josh Ladgrove’s new show. Returning to the Edinburgh Fringe with a maniacally clownish set of prop-comedy and audience-lasered material, Ladgrove reintroduces us to an old friend: his alter-ego Dr Professor Neal Portenza.

With his shaggy beard and wrestler hair, Ladgrove dons the white lab coat and applies bouffon makeup, looking like Triple-H on Art Attack. His get-up matches the demonic horseplay that, even sitting in the back row, audiences will be unable to escape. This purposely farcical and downright wacky routine sees the Australian comic draw portraits of individuals in the audience, snort a face full of “drugs” and encourage everyone to get handy with some colourful foam pipes. It is an absurdly entertaining, well-timed and infectious performance that has Portenza in complete control the whole time.

It’s a shame that, on occasions, the interaction wanders off on a tangent. Though this is partly what Ladgrove’s show is about, it starts to sap the energy from the gags. Some of the threads are needless, especially when they mix in some very questionable material: one parody of racism, for example, goes that bit too far.

Perhaps the greatest attraction to Ladgrove’s set is that its success or failure lies firmly in the hands of the audience. It will change every night, depending on how brave, sedate, drunk or mad his crowds are. His feverish physical humour often erases the line between performer and crowd. If you’re willing to take part, you’ll have a far more rewarding experience.