Sam Campbell: The Trough

Pleasance Courtyard (Venue 33)

Retaining the crazed intensity that makes him so compelling, while shedding the capacity for maudlin introspection and selfsabotage that’s marred his previous Edinburgh runs, Sam Campbell was a late addition to the Fringe, with a show that previously won the prestigious Barry Award in his native Australia. And it doesn’t seem as if he’s tailored it much to his new surroundings, opening with a mischievous video juxtaposition of mainstream Australian comedian Dave Hughes and Kevin Spacey in American Beauty.

The gremlin-grinning Campbell isn’t about making concessions, dragging you violently into his twisted mix of live and pre-packaged nonsense. There are so many hilarious, offbeat ideas in this fizzing hour, that it scarcely matters that a few of them outstay their welcome or never quite fire, with the comic clearly enjoying himself as much as the audience.

Alluding to his mental health struggles only in passing, he seems to have conquered his demons, even if he’s got a concrete list of enemies, and cracks wise about suicide. Constantly barking out a metacommentary on his jokes, throwing such a variety of routines into it, his wild-eyed charisma is infectious. Although very much a cult act, there’s a few set-pieces here that imprint themselves on the retina: the vision of him emerging like a frankfurter-fingered version of Freddie Krueger; his self-aggrandising best man speech; the terrifying, skinless stand-up Braingus who pops up a couple of times.

Delighting the many comedians lined up along the back wall, Campbell surely won’t be for everyone. Yet he certainly appears to have found a new swagger since he last appeared in Edinburgh.

Until tomorrow, 3:30pm.