2011 Edinburgh Fringe

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Surreal and socio-politically savvy, Australian stand-up Asher Treleaven returns to Edinburgh with his second solo stand-up show Matador, a show about nationalism, racism and a bigoted sheep. Tackling a heavy subject with levity and his trademark quirkiness, Asher (a self-professed middle-class white guy) offers a post-modern discussion on the repulsive undercurrent of racism in contemporary society in a comically canny show devoid of speechifying and big on laughs.

Matador follows on from the success of last year's Secret Door, which investigated manliness from Asher's own aspect as a preening fop and was nominated for the Edinburgh Comedy newcomer award. A regular on Robin Ince's wonderful Book Club, Asher's show Cellar Door, ran along the same lines, with the Aussie wit skewering preposterous paragraphs from the bottomless pit of bad literature.

Asher describes himself as a 'comedian, book nerd and sometime carnie', and has been making waves on the stage and street for several years both here and at home under the name Asher Tea - and drawing on skills he learned at the Australian National Institute Of Circus Acts and buffoonery taught by the celebrated Philippe Gaulier.

Cerebral and challenging, inspiring and idiosyncratic, mind-opening and mind-bending, Asher tackles an important subject with wit, wisdom and an intriguing tale of how he got lost in the Thai jungle in nothing but his Speedos. Expect socially responsible comedy and cock jokes.