Adam Hills: Characterful
Assembly & George Street
****
There aren't many shows you'll go to where the Scottish applaud God Save The Queen. It's testament to Adam Hills's amiability that within an hour, we've had the Stars And Stripes, Flower Of Scotland and Her Majesty's favourite with nary a boo. That's because Adam Hills is lovely.
He's a fine example of what his show aims to get across - the innate beauty of the human spirit. Hills has recently become a godfather, and what he wants most for his new charge is for him to have a sense of self, a sense of character. This leads him to question what character is, commenting on English manners during last year's Aussie-bashing Ashes, Jesus, George Bush, Saddam Hussein, the English language and root vegetables.
There's a genuine sense that Hills wants to make friends with his crowd. When a girl in the audience buys him a beer, he's compelled to down it, despite having given up booze for the festival. No wonder the crowd adore him. Hills won't change your world, but he will make you come out tapping out tunes on your stomach and checking out the fruit and veg section of Tesco.
Until Aug 28 (not 14), Assembly @ George Street, 9pm. www.assemblyrooms.com
