★ ★ ★ ★ ★
A natural storyteller who's hugely likeable and naturally very funny.
She was nominated for Best Newcomer last year and has had a very busy 12 months so it's no surprise that Lauren Pattison's second hour, Peachy, was sold out within days of this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe beginning.
Last year's show focused on her moving to London and being ghosted by her boyfriend and saw her dubbed by some (not me) "The Taylor Swift of comedy". But not this year. This year's show lives up to it's name Peachy as it's a far more upbeat affair.
Her second show can be seen as a follow-up to Lady Muck in as much as Lauren fills us in with what she's been up to since the end of that show. She's fallen in love, she's travelled to Australia and she's learnt how to do a press-up. But perhaps more importantly she's delivered a second hour that's equally as good, if not better than her first.
An hour spent in the audience of a Lauren Pattison show is like an hour spent with her down the pub... I'd imagine. Lauren is a natural storyteller who's hugely likeable and naturally very funny.. She travels at 100 miles and hour but the audience hang on her every word and stick with her as when they finish laughing at one gag, they begin laughing at another.
Lauren's confidence and ability was there for all to see last year but it felt more genuine this year. She appeared more relaxed on stage, more comfortable with her material and less apologetic for who she is.
Perhaps it's down to performing in the same room or maybe it's because she no longer has the stresses of being a newcomer. Whatever it is, it's a joy to see such a naturally gifted performer truly believe in herself.
I can see how writing an hour about how happy she is didn't come easy to Lauren but it paid off. She remained as warm and as likeable as ever and kudos to her to not shying away from sharing her happiness with audiences. All the success that has come Lauren's way in the last year has been well-deserved and she definitely deserves a lot more of it.
Forget "the Taylor Swift of comedy", Lauren Pattison is one of the nicest, supportive and promising comedians on the circuit. And she shows this by ending her show with a plea to the audience to see and support the huge raft of female comedians performing at the Fringe this year listing off names like Catherine Bohart, Sarah Keyworth and Heidi Regan.
If you watched Lady Muck last year then you'll enjoy catching up with Lauren in Peachy, just don't congratulate on that ham sandwich joke she never performed. And if you didn't get a chance to see her previous show, you'll undoubtedly enjoy a solid hour of stand-up from one of the rising stars of comedy. Peachy is of the calibre you'd expect from someone who has been on the circuit far longer than Lauren has.
I said it last year and I'll say it again this year. I can't wait to see what her next show brings.
Lauren Pattison: Peachy runs until 26th August at 7pm at the Pleasance Courtyard (The Attic). Book tickets here.
(This review was based on the performance from Wednesday 15th August 2018)