Edinburgh native Ayo Adenekan had a big Fringe last year, with the affable young stand-up bagging himself a Saturday Night Live UK writing job and moving to London off the strength of his debut.
However, his relationship with the festival goes back a bit further, as he aligns his comedian’s origin tale with meeting his first love here, a Canadian circus artist whose example inspired him to become a performer. The will they, won’t they drama of whether they rekindled their romance when the circus rolled back in to town is a low-key throughline of Homeland Insecurity. But dramatically, it’s overshadowed by Adenekan coming out to his parents and friends as bisexual.
Even here though, and despite his religious Nigerian heritage, the narrative isn’t subject to the jeopardy it may have been, with the measured comic affecting historical concern but never seriously projecting any signs of trauma in his droll delivery. He can be a tad hack, as exemplified by his running product placement gag and the contrived circumstances he suggests to confuse himself with near Nigerian namesake and fellow SNL UK alumni Ayoade Bambgboye. But he’s got an endearing, personable manner and he’s evolving as a storyteller, with great things within his grasp.
Ayo Adenekan: Homeland Insecurity, Monkey Barrel Comedy (Cabaret Voltaire), until 30 Aug, 1.30pm