Laura Lexx: Tyrannosaurus Lexx

Earlier this year, Laura Lexx made newspaper headlines when a video of the usually affable comic dismantling a sexist heckler went viral. She saves that story for the latter stages here as it has a genuinely shocking—but sadly not uncommon—troll-related second act, which is quite a change of tone.

Not a jarring one, though, as her second Edinburgh hour is a savvy example of how to structure a relatively straightforward standup show: invite the audience into your world, and they’ll be as horrified as you were when someone threatens to ruin it.

A more significant presence is her new husband, a hefty fellow comic who she memorably describes as being built like “a bread shithouse” and—shock horror—seems nice. Despite the fierce title, Lexx largely plays to her likeable strengths; she’s a rare ray of sunshine on a rainy day.

Both the jokes and delivery are strong enough that she can even embark on unpromising-sounding sections about Hoovers and her hair (which she shaved for charity last year) and stay sharp. And while that late shift may sound dramatic, Lexx has been weaving in weightier messages throughout. There’s a fine bit early on about how her preconceptions of marriage were warped by working with lots of older male comedians, whose stereotyping suggested that she’d turn into an aggressive nutter as soon as the ring hit her finger. Tyrannosaurus Lexx, indeed.

In fact, it strikes you that getting on stage and being generally positive about love and life is pretty bloody alternative. Shine on, you crazy maverick.