FRANK SKINNER: 30 YEARS OF DIRT - REVIEW

Frank Skinner is a veteran on the fringe circuit, as shown by his show’s title: 30 Years of Dirt. Skinner first appeared at Edinburgh Fringe in 1987, and decades later he’s back.

Skinner states his aim for this show was for it to not be filthy, telling us he’s made a career of ‘knob jokes’ and filth, and now wishes to change that. His hour of comedy seems rather filth free, and most of his jokes feel quite safe – nothing in this set pushes boundaries.

He mainly speaks about getting older, sports, and his recent MBE honour. There is some very clever and witty writing in places, and he expertly delivers each punchline. Throughout the set, Skinner speaks to audience members and then goes off on tangents based on their conversations. There appears to be no overarching theme and a lack of structure; the largest laughs seem to come from the moments when he speaks to audience members and ad-libs with them.

It’s an hour of great stand-up, Skinner aptly displays his talents to the audience and proves why his name has become synonymous with the festival. His delivery has a casual feel to it, with him appearing completely at ease on stage – it’s clear he enjoys this and feels right at home in this packed-out room. Although this show does not contain anything new or exciting, people will go because it is Frank Skinner and I’m sure they will enjoy his performance – but it’s not the best stand-up at the fringe this year – it’s safe, something we’ve seen before, and far from ground-breaking. But perhaps that’s exactly what we need sometimes.

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{🎟 AD – PR invite – Tickets were gifted in exchange for an honest review}

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