To say a buzz has surrounded Josh Thomas’ first show at the Fringe would be an understatement. Long famous in Australia (his home country) and internationally for his unique and amiable TV creation Please Like Me, he’s already proven himself as a unique voice adept at translating personal experience into universal truths. 

Let’s Tidy Up manages a similar feat, taking the form of a comedy monologue in which he discusses his life and relationships as a man with both ADHD and autism. Unafraid to gesture towards theatricality, the stage on which he tells his story resembles a warm and comfortable living room, setting the tone of the next 70 minutes; you’re welcomed into his home and into a warts-and-all discussion of his life. 

The anti-authoritarian streak in comedy has always thrived on voices that are out of step with the norm, and that proves to be the case here. Thomas’ life with autism lies in the subtext of his desire to shirk social norms and in his inability to tidy his flat (an act which he describes as equivalent to climbing Mount Everest). The same can be said of his delivery, his vocal cadence a near unbroken rhythm of long and intricate anecdotes; and of his audience interaction, which is knowingly stilted to underscore this endearingly awkward performer’s lack of social nous. 

Anchoring the already-strong throughline of the show is Thomas’ relationship with his on-again off-again partner, in which a sense of well-earned sentimentality is allowed to flourish without ever undermining his unknowingly caustic worldview. His partner, more traditional and allistic than Thomas, acts as a foil grounding our protagonist’s more extreme behaviour and indulging his heartwarming love of trains. What’s more, Thomas sketches his characters with a compelling specificity, simultaneously discussing them like an alien who’s just landed on planet Earth and completely empathetic to their frustrations with his behaviour. In short, he’s simply too good a writer to settle for two-dimensional caricatures. 

This peek inside Thomas’ life feels unique in all the best ways, rambling on the surface but intricately plotted under the hood. His jokes are never less than consistent and effective, although the finale lacks the dramatic impact that such a monologue demands. Yet, during his time on stage, you’ll receive a granular account of a path less well trodden that is consistently captivating. This boots-on-the-ground approach to the autistic experience is a dynamite work.

Josh Thomas: Let’s Tidy Up, Pleasance Courtyard, until 25 August, 6.20pm.