Olly Gully hosts this amiable one-man variety show with an LGBTQ+ angle. Set up as a two-hander between Chris (Gully) and his mother Christine (she remains unseen and off-stage), it becomes clear that Chris has been left holding his own. Fortunately, he is a lively host, as consistent as a stick of rock with an endless stream of end-of-the-pier puns: Shirley C Bassey and Tuna Turner are amongst the celebrity names he drops.

Gully’s delivery harks back to the era of Larry Grayson, with double and sometimes single entendres that belong to an ancient music-hall tradition. Under Sophie Mercell’s direction that idea of camp can be fun, but Sea Words has some unresolved issues. The constant whipping up of the crowd in anticipation of guests who won’t arrive becomes counter-productive and is largely why the finale fizzles out. The energy levels are right for a manic show, one that throws in some climate change gags too, but there’s some dead wood to be excised; laughing at bad jokes shouldn’t be the central plank of an entire show. 

Sea Words, Summerhall, until 27 August, 5.15pm.