Is it possible to submit show titles for those ‘Best joke of the Fringe’ lists? Josh Edelman’s The Jew Rogaine Experience is a punning masterstroke (even though the eponymous hair regrowth product is not as ubiquitous outside the US). Once you’ve arrived at a joke that good, you’ll have your Fringe Comedian’s Membership revoked if you don’t use it. Edelman’s metaphorical membership is safe, and the best jokes in this hour of anecdotes and observational comedy prove why.
At the heart of Edelman’s show is shame: shame about his failed relationships, shame about his physical appearance (hair loss and all), shame about his relative lack of commercial success. He mines that shame skilfully, and his best material comes from his forensically nerdy self-analysis.
His attitudes and occasional throwaway comments can border on sexist, or at the very least reductive. A strong joke doesn’t always allow room for nuance, of course, but Edelman’s assumption that we’re all on board with his slightly toxic way of thinking is sometimes grating. A lot of this show revolves around Edelman’s attempts to start and sustain a long-term relationship. He’s desperate to be liked, just as he’s desperate to be laid. While his success in the latter may be limited, his success in the former is undeniable. He’s a deeply likeable presence, and quickly manages to warm up what is a particularly lacklustre afternoon audience.
The room is full. It’s a dark, noisy sweatbox with poor acoustics and terrible sightlines – in short, the platonic ideal of a Fringe venue. Edelman knows it’s not great, and acknowledges it deftly before diving straight in to his set. The core of this show is excellent, and Edelman always has a strong joke coming up to reach for. The connective tissue is the weaker aspect. One gets the sense that Edelman is rushing through some of his material, to get to the guaranteed banker that he knows is just a few paragraphs away.
Edelman has a lot of safe, solid jokes – jokes about the differences in audiences around the world, jokes about dating and general modern suburban life – but he also has some much darker stuff in his back pocket. It’s sprinkled through The Jew Rogaine Experience almost at random, with near-the-knuckle jokes and gallows humour appearing without warning amid his more conventional fare. It certainly keeps the audience on our collective toes, but the sheer unpredictability of it makes the handbrake turns disconcerting.
Edelman is a good comedian, with a natural understanding of rhythm and delivery. There’s an anger that runs through most of his material, but often he tries to hide it. The rare moments in which he allows that passion full reign are when he’s at his absolute best.
The Jew Rogaine Experience with Josh Edelman runs until Sun 27 Aug 2023 at PBH’s Free Fringe @Pilgrim – Back Lounge at 15:30