Review: Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2024 – Finlay Christie: I Deserve This

Review by Florence Carr-Jones

The show opens with Finlay Christie introducing himself via a photobooth app on his laptop, projected onto the screen. It’s a clever, makeshift, and humorous start that immediately sets the tone, blending the vibe of a Gen Z guy with a boomer-esque DIY approach. This duality is a crucial strength showcased throughout the hour. His warm-up is flawless; his bit on the difference between a “bad boy” and a “bad man” draws instant laughs. From the outset, Christie demonstrates a natural ease in connecting with an intergenerational audience.

The show is structured around a PowerPoint presentation outlining ten points for being a successful young person in 2024. These range from the edgier “Get some neurodivergence” to the more general “Be socially conscious” and even the absurd “Dying.”

Christie navigates his ten-point program with a seamless blend of audience interaction, sharp comedy, and the right amount of self-deprecation. His interactions are quick and clever. Though he occasionally teeters on the edge of risky territory, he always pulls back unscathed. A standout moment is his Gen Z rendition of the classic “Four Yorkshiremen” sketch in the “Get Some Trauma” section. This, followed by self-deprecating jokes about his own trauma of feeling lonely at private school, highlights Christie’s skill in shifting between different tones.

The show’s strong start does begin to waver toward the end, significantly as the comedy edges closer to more controversial territory. Despite this, the audience laughs throughout. Christie is a major talent who expertly toes the line. They are undoubtedly someone who will be around for a long time.

A Major Talent

Finlay Christie: I Deserve This runs at the Monkey Barrel Comedy – Monkey Barrel 4, Edinburgh, until August 25th on select dates.
Running time – One hour without interval

Review by Florence Carr-Jones (contact@corrblimey.uk)

Florence recently graduated with a degree in History from the University of Edinburgh, where her passion for theatre often took precedence over her academic studies. During her time at university, she was actively involved in many theatre societies, but her deep passion was with Theatre Paradok, the experimental theatre society, where she served as president this past year. She is the director and writer of her own company, Fools and Thieves, and will begin a Master’s in Drama Directing at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School this September. Florence is particularly fascinated by interdisciplinary approaches to theatre and how the medium can evolve in the contemporary world.