 Alana Jackson, winner of So You Think You're Funny? 2024, arrives at the Edinburgh Fringe with her debut show and based on the atmosphere in the room, she’s already cultivating a devoted following. Some audience members had even made the pilgrimage across the M8 from Glasgow purely to see her.
Her brief appearance at the Gilded Balloon launch event just over a week ago was a clear standout, hinting at her potential. The full show not only delivered on that promise, but exceeded it, cementing Jackson as one of the freshest and most exciting comic voices to emerge this year. Drawing from her own life, Alana recounts the culture shock of moving from Glasgow to London in a transition she describes with such vivid imagery it feels as though she’s relocated to an entirely different planet. Her material finds humour in the smallest details, and her delivery is razor-sharp, often accompanied by a perfectly timed, withering-yet-baffled expression that elevates every punchline. She mines comedy gold from working in a London boozer and her times at drama school, hilariously derailed by Covid restrictions. The idea of performing movement classes over Zoom is absurd enough, but her description of trying to convincingly embody a plastic carrier bag via webcam had the audience in stitches. One of Jackson’s most impressive tools is her vocal versatility. She slips between accents and voices and bringing characters to life with such ease and precision that comparisons to a Scottish Jodie Comer don’t feel exaggerated. Over the course of an expertly paced hour, Jackson proves she has the material, stagecraft, and charisma to make a significant mark on the comedy circuit. Lee Hutchison 4/5 Alana Jackson: Last Orders Venue: Gilded Balloon at Appleton Tower Dates: August 8th - 24th Time: 1700 Tickets: www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/alana-jackson-last-orders |
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