EDINBURGH 2026: Review: LARRY DEAN: HELLBENT, Pleasance Courtyard
Larry Dean: Hellbent runs at Edfringe until 30 August
One of the best ways to gauge how good a comedian is, is to see how they handle the inevitable technical difficulties at the Edinburgh Fringe. Opening in accidental darkness before moving on to have the audience well lit before things finally clicked into place- Larry Dean doesn’t appear remotely phased and gets some additional material out of the situation.
We’re not that far into the festival but Hellbent is definitely the hour that has passed quickest for me so far this year. The time flew in as Larry takes us through his last year and talks about his marriage and his recent move to London. He’s quick-witted, and the show is absolutely packed with gags.
Those who have seen Larry Dean before will know that he’s quite disarming; he’ll make you laugh but there’s usually some kind of emotional turning point lurking. He’s an absolute pro who gets big laughs throughout as he hits out with anecdotes about his wedding, his autism diagnosis and meeting the King at the Royal Variety Performance.
Dean is exceptional at physical comedy, accents and creepy wee voices. He can’t help but burst into an impromptu Gollum impression, which is weirdly endearing.
It’s a surprisingly beautiful show as there’s so much silliness surrounding the core message and this is another brilliant hour from an incredibly skilled comic.
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