Adi Parmar: Sunny Boy comedy review – Out and about
The comedian turns coming out, family and cultural contrasts into warm, witty and wonderfully queer comedy
Adi Parmar is out of the closet and wants the world to know it. With a laissez-faire attitude and a playful look in his eye, this Fringe newcomer discusses coming out, creating a family and people’s contrasting opinions in one hour of gloriously queer comedy. Under a garland of collected memories, Parmar whizzes through his life so far, remembering getting monkey bites in his back garden and imagined liaisons with his geography teacher. It’s a wry and well-timed set in which every joke feels curated and thoughtfully navigated. Able to make light of awkward experiences (‘do you want to watch Brokeback Mountain?’), this stand-up feels fresh, nuanced and surprisingly heartfelt.
His laid-back demeanour and charming storytelling ability take us from childhood jokes to fully formed adult relationships. Parmar blends his naivety living in conservative India with a more experienced mindset from time in the Netherlands, allowing him to reach a certain closeness with the audience. And in the current climate, conceiving comedy that doesn’t need to point at the state of the world to make you laugh feels like a rare talent. An impressive debut which suggests that Parmar could have his own comedy special in no time.
Adi Parmar: Sunny Boy, Gilded Balloon Teviot, until 31 August, 7pm; picture: Wesley Verhoeve.