2011 Edinburgh Fringe

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You're going to die! We all are, of course. At some point, anyway, unless someone makes a major breakthrough before August but, eventually, we're all going to die. Bit of a bummer, isnʼt it?

What will you have to say for yourself when you do, though? Who will be there to hear it? And should any of that really matter? Up-and-coming comic James W Smith brings his first hour-long show, Living in Syntax, to the Edinburgh Fringe with the intention of answering these questions - and a whole lot more to boot, if you must know. Language is a powerful thing, you see. Some use it for good, some for evil. Others just use it to dick about. All of that tends to fade away into nothingness when you're just about to breathe for the last time, so whatever noises come out of your mouth better be good. That pressure, though... it might be a bit much, getting your entire life's work neatly summarised on a headstone.

That could be worth the effort, right? James isn't sure, so he's decided to take up an hour of your time to talk over the options in a much funnier fashion than the subjects of death and words might first suggest. Other subjects to be tackled include the controversial issue of ham, political spin, the sexual peccadilloes of George Osborne, Latin poet Catullus, apple bobbing, and the cripping lack of self-worth that can encumber a comic as he struggles to turn that which he loves into that which is actually a viable career choice.

James has "very good material" according to the Edinburgh Evening News, and Richard Herring says that he "shows lots of promise" and has "some great one-liners." Which is nice. Somehow, James was also named as the 48th most influential British comedian on Twitter, but that barely qualifies as an accolade even if it is getting mentioned in this press release. Someone on Twitter also said that he is 'really good' but that person couldn't remember James' name, which certainly diminishes the standing of the compliment but not enough to remain unmentioned.