The UK comedy circuit has a habit of embracing comedians from around the globe with dark tales. Doug Stanhope and Jim Jefferies spring to mind and I suspect we will soon add Bobby Mair to that list. I stumbled into his 2013 Edinburgh show Obviously Adopted by happy accident. The straggly bearded Canadian was doing an early evening gig downstairs at The Tron when he really should have been on at midnight. Or maybe 4am. It was all bad sex, bad drugs and dysfunctional childhood. And very funny. Mair is a little scattershot and disconcertingly candid, but also very engaging. It came as no surprise to discover that he has previously supported Doug Stanhope. I can’t quite see Mair ending up on Live at the Apollo – he is not exactly a shiny-floor comedian – but stranger things have happened. There is certainly a place for him in the comedy firmament. Which is handy, because I’m not sure what kind of career he could hold down in the real world. 

Bobby Mair is at Laughing Horse @ City Cafe from August 1 to August 24. Details here.