It becomes apparent within 60 seconds that Glaswegian comedian Christopher KC has a pretty sardonic sense of humour. He breaks the ice by acknowledging how poor (not quite his choice of phrase) the venue is (he’s right) and this direct tone seems to be a trademark and continues throughout the hour. His observations are frank and his on-stage persona feels completely genuine.
Race and stereotypes are the central themes here and KC allows us to laugh with him while also understanding the importance of his perspective. Personal anecdotes about questions he’s been asked concerning his ethnicity are shocking, as are some of the nonsense Hollywood castings he talks us through via slideshow (a funny mechanism that could be developed even further). The film industry is just one aspect of the whitewashing of Asian culture that he touches on. The titular example of rice provides a great section early on in the set where clips of a TV cooking show are used to great comic effect with KC adding his own sarcastic audio commentary.
He does seem a little reticent at points, particularly in the first half, as his body language suggests uncertainty and pauses last a little too long. However, it’s difficult to tell if this is nerves, or he’s losing his train of thought, or, conversely, he’s so relaxed that he doesn’t feel the need to fill every moment of prolonged quiet.
The hour culminates in a frank, heartfelt climax that is the most transparent moment of the show. KC almost ditches the punchlines to briefly discuss why representation and ethnic diversity in the media is so important and how racism has affected his mental wellbeing. Again, it’s not clear if these final moments are improvised or if every performance ends with such honesty. The comic also briefly mentions that he likely won’t be performing at the Fringe again for the next few years. Catch him where you can, though. The set provides plenty of laughs and KC has a unique honesty and charm that help this stand-up stand out.