As Chortle’s Best Newcomer winner in 2023, all eyes were on Paddy Young to deliver another unrivaled hour of comedy. Young’s deadpan delivery and witty monologuing elicits various reactions from the audience, from confusion to joy to empathy. As he goes in and out of the crowd, and into and out of his various love stories from his youth, Young attempts to find a morsel of joy in where his life is in 2024.

He lives with a thirty-something roommate as a thirty-something himself, and despite living many comedians’ dreams — a prestigious award win and nearly sold-out run at the Monkey Barrel — life isn’t quite what he expected it would be. With various clips and photos, Young brings the audience into his life with some genuinely hilarious punchlines.

The show is well-written and Young is a skilled performer. But despite digging into his past and reliving some of his tarnished love-fueled memories, we can’t help but feel a wall between Young and the audience. It often feels like his humor is a way to deflect rather than let people into who he really is, which wouldn’t be a problem if the show wasn’t attempting to reveal some sort of vulnerability.

As Young attempts to get closer to the audience, he can’t help but make silly little glances and body movements that remind us that he is a clown, there for our entertainment. ‘If I told You I’d Have to Kiss You’ has some of the most well-written jokes at the Fringe and for anyone who appreciates a bit of puppy-eyed spice with perfectly timed joke delivery, Young is the ideal performer. But if we’re looking to get to know the man behind the quirky merch and playful glances, Young leaves us wanting more.

‘If I Told You I’d Have to Kiss You‘ has finished its run