Edinburgh Fringe 2015 review – Katherine Ryan: piercingly funny

It is surprising that panel show regular Katherine Ryan has found room to fit the Fringe in. She clearly knows how hot she is, introducing herself as “TV’s Katherine Ryan”.

Her latest show, Kathbum, hits the ground running with a salvo of unprintable smutty gags. The elegant Canadian explained that she is obsessed with celebrity before putting the Louboutin into tabloid favourites from Peter Andre to Cheryl Fernandez-Versini.

There was a particularly juicy routine regarding the recent Taylor Swift/Nicki Minaj Twitter spat and some pertinent thoughts on the rape allegations made against Bill Cosby. Ryan is potty-mouthed with both poise and purpose.

Parts of her performance are as piercingly funny as stand-up gets, but occasionally it feels as if the gags are written by the yard. When she changes gear to talk about herself and the difficulties of dating as a single mum there is more heart, less impact.

Towards the end candid childhood stories recall how back home she was the class weirdo. This thoroughly entertaining set confirms that Ryan is now a class act. If she can find any time to hone it between TV studios it will be even better when it reaches London next year.