From the moment he introduces his show, Jimmy Hogg is on a time crunch. He has exactly 59.5 minutes to tell us a story of his youth: a 19 year old Hogg trying to play it “cool” while hitchhiking across england to visit his new girlfriend. With no time to spare, it’s one joke after the next and it’s hilarious. His story recounts how a slug, a bush, and a half-naked truck driver helped him discover his passion for stand-up and storytelling. And this now-developed passion is evident through his control of the stage, constant audience engagement, and frequent callbacks to recurring jokes that seem to get funnier every time he references them. His setup is unassuming - just a chair and small side table behind a man in jeans and a plain white t-shirt, yet the audience immediately became connected and comfortable with Hogg. In fact, the audience couldn’t stop clapping and cheering, despite his pleas of saving time. He played off the audience brilliantly, reacting to things the audience members said and did in a seamless way that made it feel like a scripted part of the show. The whole show felt very conversational and connected, like your friend telling you a funny story. Jimmy Hogg: Mashed was an hour of well-written and expertly delivered comedy that I’d recommend to anyone wanting a great laugh this fringe.

Ari Mitchell, AYTC