Paul Sinha’s Edinburgh Fringe show is a must-see (Picture: Getty Images)
You may know Paul Sinha as a quizzer on The Chase. But like an M&S pudding, he is so much more than that.
The 53-year-old comedian pokes fun at himself, GB News, former colleague Mark Dolan and one poor straight man in the audience during his hour of satisfyingly cynical storytelling.
The Sinnerman’s standing ovation was well-deserved, as his jokes landed confidently, and to the delight of a roaring crowd. The punchlines are often totally unexpected, skillfully executed, and in true form very, very smart.
Between his anecdotes and observations came some word-perfect songs. On a few occasions Paul was forced to pause his ‘anthem for straight men’ because of laughter, as the crowd delighted in his satirical melodies.
Scathingly self-aware, Paul explained how he and his husband went on Gogglebox to prove that just because you’re gay, it doesn’t mean you’re entertaining. He also opened with a sure-fire statement that he’s the only openly gay man at the Edinburgh Fringe. At this, the crowd roared.
The whole show is deliciously bitter as Paul chastises Dolan for ‘trading his soul in’ to become an anchor on GB news, and repeatedly names someone he claims stole his joke. But the audience loved him for it, with his smart songs punctuating the pessimism and making for a rare, pacey set.
Paul is best known as being The Sinnerman – a chaser – on TV show The Chase with Bradley Walsh (Picture: Joe Maher/WireImage)
Paul seems super at home on stage, and the audience lapped up his cynical observations about the state of the world (Picture: MJ Kim/Getty Images)
But Paul also joked about himself. Specifically, he acknowledged his health issues head on. Of his Parkinson’s, Paul made a particularly hilarious gag about how he’s named it Suella after the Home Secretary (It would be a crime to spoil the punch line). His weakest points came when Paul veered too far into brutal (and obvious) Cards Against Humanity territory, as he joked of Jade Goody’s death and Ebola.
Saying that, his stabs at Eamonn Holmes and The One Show’s Alex Jones – who he dubbed ‘benign’ – were a healthy dose of wickedness to cut through the toothy grin and saccharine sparkle of daytime TV.
Paul bulldozed the glamour of fame as he described his evening at the TRIC awards gone very, very, wrong. I’ll leave that one to your imagination, but it involved a table of GB News presenters, red wine, a microphone, and the man holding it who isn’t afraid to speak his mind.
But it wasn’t just stand-alone stories, giggle-worthy songs, and thigh-slapping gags that made Paul so riveting to watch. His set’s structure was intricate and satisfying, as he tied in previous jokes with new anecdotes making for a silky smooth finish. The stage seems a natural home for Paul, and he earnt every last leg and clap of his standing ovation.
With his hand seemingly seizing up towards the end of his gig as his Parkinson’s disorder degenerates, Paul explained: ‘This could be my last show.’ He doesn’t know what the future holds, but one thing’s for sure: Paul is making the most of the ride – and everyone’s loving watching him.
Paul Sinha’s Edinburgh Fringe show Paul Sinha: Pauly Bengali is on at 5.40pm every night until August 27 at The Stand’s New Town Theatre.
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