It’s night one of Max Fulham‘s first ever Fringe. It’s a preview (‘But it’s OK to review me,’ he says).It’s one of the smallest venues at Pleasance (The Cellar). There’s a fair bit of tech involved. What could possibly go wrong?

Nothing actually.

Max Fulham strides intro Edinburgh like he’s been on the Fringe for years and nails his first ever gig for an audience that he quickly has in his lap. He’s a ventriloquist.  Oh, a ventriloquist. You don’t see them too often these days, do you?

Not since Keith Harris and Orville has ventriloquism been a ‘thing’.  But, you know what?  Maybe it can make a come back.  It certainly can if the depth of talent this young performer demonstrates is anything to go by.

Fulham’s act is not only very skilled in the ‘art’ of ventriloquism (you’ll not see a mouth movement all night), but his comedy is also outstanding.  Within minutes the room was roaring as he tells of his first puppet, aged seven, who starts off the show.

A  central tenet to the act is a silver cigar box, perched on a dais that converses (the lid opens and closes as if a mouth) with our baby-faced host throughout the night. This box is Fulham’s subconscious and challenges him to hilarious consequences. It’s a great stooge that gives the show a solid structure.

We then meet Jesus and Max’s potty mouthed grandad before we encounter an anthropomorphic processed-meat based puppet that essentially has the naming rights to the show. This particular routine is solid gold and has the house in stitches. No spoilers for the show here, but it’s a cracking and original idea.

Fulham is a breath of fresh air.  He’s original, charming, genuinely funny, clever and knows a good gag from 100 yards.

This particular reviewer suffered the front row fate of being drawn onto the stage for an extended routine where ventriloquist makes the reviewer his puppet, who has to operate another puppet, while reciting the alphabet backwards, while drinking a ‘gottle of geer’ (water actually).

I lived to tell the tale.

But choose your seats carefully.

‘Full of Ham‘ is at Pleasance Courtyard – Cellar until Mon 25 Aug 2025 at 18:40