Lewis Schaffer: You Are Beautiful

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We really shouldn’t ignore the influence of Lewis Schaffer on today’s Fringe. The now London-based New Yorker was doing free shows for years, up here, down south and even on tour, as part of his Free Until Famous concept. Which never actually made him famous, but did show that a bucket is a viable alternative to tickets.

Ironically, as a vast and varied array of Fringe comics turned to free shows, Schaffer began charging entry fees – a fiver last year, now a tenner. In return, he actually put together an hour with a proper structure, You Are Beautiful, which garnered at least one five-star review in 2015. So he’s brought it back. But possibly wishes he hadn’t.

“This is the worst show I’ve ever done,” groans the comic during a mid-set meltdown. Which is saying something, as he’s done some stinkers. But then shambolic shows were his shtick, years ago, whereas now he’s joined the quasi-mainstream, and is feeling the pressure to deliver again. What we end up with is a curious mix of old and new Schaffer: a fair bit of genuinely decent material about big bangs and black holes early on, then a fascinating story about his love life to finish, all relayed with a relaxed charm.

In between, he suddenly has one of those old-school confidence crises, an apparently genuine intermission where it seems that the show might stop altogether or, worse, he’ll start all over again. Thankfully, this time, he ploughs on, due to audience encouragement. Next time? His fate could well be in your hands.