James Acaster – Prompt

It's a risky strategy, to immediately de-energise a room, as James Acaster does with his understated entrance in his Foster's Edinburgh Comedy Award nominated show. But very quickly this whimsical young comic proves we're in safe hands. The Kett'ring-born stand-up has a knack for turning seemingly flippant remarks into slow-burning, wonderfully offbeat routines. He strides past the point where most comics would end a joke, stretching each section to ridiculous lengths, and keeping the laughs flowing throughout. Rather than simply an hour-long compilation of stories, 'Prompt' is a beautifully structured show, with smart, unexpected callbacks and clever resurfacings of earlier material. A lot of effort has gone into this intelligent, low-key show, and it's paid off. Absolutely superb.