Fringe review: PAUL SINHA: 2 SINHA LIFETIME, The Stand Comedy Club
Paul Sinha has a lot to cover in this Fringe show. Of course, he’s most-known for being ‘The Sinnerman’ on ITV’s The Chase, but Sinha is also celebrating 30 years on the comedy circuit, he was a doctor before his comedy career took off, and he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2019 and has had two heart attacks.
It’s perhaps no surprise, then, that this hour of comedy is packed to the brim with content. Sinha is quick-witted and quick in his delivery, peppering his set with jokes from throughout his 30-year career (including a particularly timely joke about Oasis from 1998) along with masses of new material and, unexpectedly, multiple original songs which Sinha accompanies live on keyboard.
A real highlight of the show is Sinha’s lampooning of the recent “cosy crime” fiction trend, with many celebrities writing novels set in their area of expertise. When he reads us some excerpts of a particularly silly example of this, the audience reaction is hysterical. Another story about an LGBTQ+ award ceremony leads to a wonderfully funny Elton John parody song, which has us in stitches.
Sinha doesn’t shy away from discussing his medical history, from his experiences on medication for his Parkinson’s disease to his near-death experience during his heart surgery. He has a real knack for drawing light out of the darkness, though, and doesn’t ever veer too far into a more serious tone.
From the moment he steps on stage, Sinha has the audience in the palm of his hand, and there’s barely a second once the show starts for us to catch our breath between peals of laughter. It’s clear to see why Sinha has been a fixture of the British comedy circuit for 30 years, and we look forward to many more years of Paul Sinha’s dry wit and sharp humour.
***** Five stars
Reviewed by: Lorna Murray