Felicity Ward: The Hedgehog Dilemma, Underbelly Bristo Square, Edinburgh

Returning to Edinburgh after three years, the established Australian television sketch show star and stand-up Felicity Ward is one of the most charismatic performers you are likely to see at the Fringe this year. Unfortunately, her exuberance sometimes falls into the “gotta sing, gotta dance, gotta act” category.

In fact, the singing and dancing is limited, but there is plenty of demonstrative posturing behind the story of Ward’s break up and subsequent dating record. It’s a familiar theme, neatly framed by the hedgehog analogy of the show's title: is it better to be cold and alone or coupled-up but prone to being wounded.

Ward's first relationship started when she was 18. Six years in she was due to be married (and wears the dress for the first 15 minutes of the show) but talk of a first dance to Joy Division's ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’ did not augur well. “I wanted ‘Perfect Day’, yes, a song about heroin... Til death do us party”, she adds.

Caught up in her past, Ward catches the audience up in her yarn too. She’s guilty of cheerleading for laughs on occasion, of encouraging the audience to reward her for her efforts, but if these efforts are sometimes over the top, they are never less than genuine.

Until 27th August, 0131 226 0000