Review: Elaine Malcolmson: Joik

However ready-to-go a show seems, Edinburgh will invariably throw up extra obstacles to keep things interesting. A flaky PowerPoint clicker, sparse crowd, sudden burst of drumming outside that sounds like the aircon exploding: all of these happen to Elaine Malcolmson this particular evening. But some issues are self-inflicted.

This show – tonight at least – has a curious false beginning, which is either an elaborate conceit where Malcolmson pretends to have rejigged the show, or Malcomson did rejig the show and is pretending it’s an elaborate conceit. Either way, it doesn’t work. That now-early section is Covid-related and bears little relevance to the later material, and is immediately followed by clips of the Northern Irish comic on panel shows, which just screams ‘look, I’m a professional!’

And that’s a shame, as the main story – an emotional roller-coaster about adopting a baby reindeer – is strong enough without tacked-on extras. Malcolmson remains remarkably dry and droll despite those mishaps, unhurriedly bestowing punchlines, pearls of wisdom and useful Nordic phrases, such as the title. These should nicely accentuate the show’s themes, on a screen, if the clicker worked. 

Hopefully those issues clear as the run progresses. Or if it needs a bigger rethink, hey, this shaggy reindeer story would make a cracking Christmas show.