Drew’s Adventures is by no means a typical comedy show. In fact it’s arguable whether it’s a comedy show at all. Over an hour, this thought-provoking American comedian asks his audience to consider the struggles he’s experienced since being diagnosed with hearing impairment at the age of four. One of his keystones is a fairly predictable routine about being ‘ghosted’ on a dating app, with beats that seem more suited to an American streaming special than to a Fringe affair. Michael, after all, cut his teeth as a Saturday Night Live writer, but his jokes didn’t quite translate to a Saturday afternoon Festival crowd.

About halfway through, the audience is instructed to put on headphones, which simultaneously allows us entry into Michael’s inner monologue, alongside providing an insight on what it’s like to experience the world from his perspective as a deaf man. It’s an interesting approach which has serious potential but lacks the necessary brio to carry events forward.

Michael is an intense performer, which at times works for the important subject matter he’s addressing, but the dramatic pauses and stream of profundities can, at times, feel laboured. Drew’s Adventures is ultimately short on laughs, but if he could balance this confessional with comedy, it would be a fascinating show. 

Drew Michael: Drew’s Adventures, until 27 August, Pleasance Dome, 5.40pm.