Extremely likeable. Michael's charm and charisma shine through in a debut hour that embraces his cheeky and silly side.
★ ★ ★ ★
Working in the NHS as a doctor, comedian Michael Akadiri was used to receiving applause during the pandemic and now he's being applauded daily in the Cellar at the Pleasance Courtyard at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and with good reason.
For his debut hour, No Scrubs, Michael walks out in his scrubs - an important detail for the narrative of the show - to deliver a show that allows his charm and charisma to shine, embracing his cheeky and silly side.
However alongside the silly - tales of trampoline parks, doughnuts and bedroom antics with his wife - Michael never shies away from the serious - including a court case he was involved in - and has an enviable way of tackling both with similar ease, humour and purpose.
For me, the most surprising thing about No Scrubs - and what has stuck with me long after leaving the Courtyard last night - is the way in which the hour built towards a real powerful moment towards the end of the show.
This isn't a show about Michael the doctor or Michael the comedian. It's about Michael the person. He's both those things. Whether in or out of his scrubs, who he is, remains the same and that comes with its own challenges which he explores brilliantly in his debut.
If there's one thing to take away from Michael's show, it's that we all judge others far more than we should. Why should what someone wears determine who the person is?
Packed full of great anecdotes, and genuine gags, No Scrubs is a confident debut from an extremely likeable performer. Whilst there's work to be done in parts on the structure, there's no denying that Michael knows how to write jokes and how to tell them.
And let's face it, audiences are perhaps less concerned than I am about neatly tying threads together across an hour. After all funny is funny and Michael certainly ticks that box.
Michael is of the most exciting new voices in comedy and whilst not the first doctor to turn their hand to comedy, he does offer something new to this growing niche. His perspective on society paired with his honesty offers something that's genuinely distinctive and I look forward to hearing what he has to say next.