Caroline Whitham
A thoroughly likeable chap, Hugh Hughes. This small, bearded Welshman greets his audience beforehand, shaking hands in the queue outside the venue with an open smile. Once inside, it becomes clear that the jovial atmosphere is set to continue, as the house lights fail to dim and the conversation carries on.
This is pretty much what Hughes is all about. The audience giggles along, joining in and even singing when asked, and the tone remains relatively light. Interspersed with all the audience interaction is a genuinely funny and touching story about what it means to have the same best friend since you were eight years old, and how a change of perspective can completely reverse your mood.
However, Hughes is no soft touch. One man's wisecracking heckle is met with the same charming smile, but under the cheerful tone lies a steely intelligence. By the end of the interaction, Hughes has made the man admit he's not generous, and asked him how bad it feels to say that, all without breaking the rest of the audience's happy mood. It's an impressive trick to watch, as long as you're paying attention.
It's easy to see why Hughes has already made a name for himself at the Fringe, with such award-winning shows to his name as 2006's Floating. Sweet, funny and thoroughly engaging, this is storytelling for a (mostly) grown-up audience who don't mind looking at the world with the wonder of a child.