Jimeoin, Pod Deco, Edinburgh

Huge in Australia, but lame observations won't catch on here

The backdrop behind Jimeoin at the Pod portrays hundreds of stars, as if we were at a Royal Variety performance, an environment in which Jimeoin's pedestrian comedy would no doubt be completely at home.

There is very little shining brightly this evening, down to the complete absence of energy in this show.

True, it is early in the run, but the members of the sold-out 600-strong audience deserved better.

Even in the context of old school observational comedy, Jimeoin's subtle reflections on couples that bicker, losing keys and the absurdities of facial expressions are rather lame.

It's all very well to be laid-back but to confuse your own leisure time with that of the audience is a mistake.

Based on evidence from the performance, it is less of a puzzle to me now why Jimeoin didn't make it as big over here as he has done in Australia, where his television and film work have cemented his status. If you want to see a funnier follically challenged Irishman this year, go and see Colin Murray, then raise the bar by going to see Dara O'Briain.

Alas, judging by advance ticket sales for Jimeoin, I fear for many festival-goers this advice may have come too late.