Chris Washington has been nominated for a lastminute.com Edinburgh Comedy Award for Best Newcomer. See nominees here.
There is a lot of talk on social media during the Fringe about awards panels being on the snobby side and looking for shows with a theme and a narrative. So it’s nice to see a lastminute.com Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer nomination for Chris Washington, who is a timeless storytelling jokesmith.
Washington, 28, is quick to quip onstage that he can’t do a conceptual autobiographical show because nothing that interesting has ever happened to him apart from the time he confused chocolate sauce for BBQ sauce. Instead his jokes are about low-level incidents such as acquiring a new hoover with extra appliances, being mildly obsessed with Brookside or the thrill of getting Netflix for the first time.
The nearest comparison is probably Jason Manford. Like Manford Washington has an easygoing genial charm and an eye for the humour in small things. His use of the neat phrase “dadvice” for crap things fathers suggest could catch on big style, so he should try to patent that now.
And despite his modest ambitions – the show is called “Dream Big (Within Reason)” – his hour is very smoothly structured, with callbacks towards the end tying things together. Not a show that will blow your socks off, but certainly one that you will put a smile on your face.
Chris Washington is at Just The Tonic @ The Mash House until August 27. Tickets here.
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