I don't know what Rob Auton has ever done to upset the Edinburgh Comedy Award judges but I've always found his Fringe shows to be some of the shows that have stayed longest in the memory. Sadly I've not been on the panel in the last few years so have had little influence in getting him shortlisted.

 

But maybe, just maybe, 2026 will be his year. Jupiter finds Auton telling the story of an interplanetary estate agent advising potential customers who fancy a change what it is like on earth. Auton always has a slightly spaced out perspective so this is the perfect framework for his craft.

 

It also gives him scope for some proper observational jokes, whether it's commenting on the buttons on airplane seats or the sticky tape on fruit. He jokes about not being the kind of comedian for Live at the Apollo (RIP) but at the same time hints that he could be. He did of course win the Dave Joke of the Fringe prize a long time ago so he is not averse to a spot of crowdpleasing wordplay.

 

This is way more than a set of funny jokes though. Auton is a storyteller par excellence and there are shades of Daniel Kitson's finely honed theatrical outings in the way Auton weaves a tale, shuttling between different angles and characters. He is not afraid of the lengthy pause or dead air, leaving ideas just hanging and giving the listener a chance to reflect on what he has just said.

 

He is particularly good at seeing the strangeness in the everyday, whether it is suggesting a change to the concept of Buy One Get One Free or musing on how Pot Noodle got its name. As for houseplants, what were they called before there were houses? As it happens I've had a similar thought about barn owls.

 

There is something deeply moving about Jupiter too. It's a show about having a sense of wonder about the world. These might be dark times but we should remember that life is precious and beautiful and we should not take that beauty for granted. He notes, for example, how amazing birds are when you think about it. Maybe it would be a good idea if children had to look down all the time and were not allowed to see birds until they were 18, then when they were allowed to look up they would be gobsmacked. Bit harsh on kids (and necks) but I can see his point.

 

Jupiter finds Auton at his best. He might have smartened up his act and splashed out on a nice suit but he's still the hairy, bearded poetic genius that his word-of-mouth fans have come to love and admire. Perhaps this is the year that the awards panel will get the joke too.