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Paul Sinha - Saint Or Sinha?, Pleasance Courtyard <!-- none onestar twostar threestar fivestar -->

Julian Hall
Monday 14 August 2006 00:00 BST
Comments

This is an almost impeccable set from a comedian whose delivery rhythm is constant and whose punchlines are consistent. An imposing figure in a gentle-giant sort of way, Sinha is a gay Asian doctor and, consequently, has plenty of comic material.

However, rather than rely on the obvious gags Sinha is more preoccupied by being a gay man inside a football-loving straight man's body. It's an interesting perspective that leaves Sinha on the outside of groups - and clichés. Hanging out with straight guys is fine up to a point - that point being coming last in go-kart races on a stag do and realising that "having no bumps and scratches on my kart was not going to make up for that".

Sinha also has to face up to his penchant for rough men. While his father would rather his son be in a relationship with an accountant, Sinha would prefer a "Kwik-Fit fitter or a burglar".

The show is not all about looking inward, though, as there is some decent topical material, too. He uses a Scooby-Doo reference to belittle the Danish newspaper cartoon that offended Muslims, then riffs on Jean Charles de Menezes' choice of reading material: surely, he asks, picking up Metro at Stockwell Tube immediately proved his innocence? How likely would it be that a real suicide bomber would want "one last fix of barely adequate journalism?".

To 28 August, except 15 (0131-556 6550)

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