Angela Barnes is the best mainstream female comedian I’ve seen since Sarah Millican*. I can't be any clearer than that can I? She has gradually been building up an impressive following wind since winning the BBC New Comedy Award in 2011 and I would not be surprised one little bit at all if she fares very well in Edinburgh this summer. She is promoted by Off The Kerb management who have an eye for popular, populist talent. They made a star out of Michael McIntyre and are currently sprinkling their fairy dust on Seann Walsh. I’ve only seen Barnes doing short sets and I’ve not seen her say anything earthshakingly original, but when it comes to talking about relationships, sex, food and life in general she knows all the right notes and hits them all in the right places. She previews her debut hour, You Can’t Take It With You, tonight at the Hackney Picturehouse with another graduate of the Off The Kerb charm school, Romesh Ranganathan.

Angela Barnes is at the Pleasance Courtyard from July 30 - August 24. Tickets here. 

*Barnes may even be potentially better than Millican.