Edinburgh Fringe 2026
Jack Ansett: Looks Like a Bit of Me
Jack Ansett
Venue: Assembly George Square
Festival: Edinburgh Fringe
Low Down
Looks Like a Bit of Me is a chaotic hour of sharp comedy that brings surprises around every turn.
Review
Jack Ansett approaches his Edinburgh debut with a chaotic yet sharp-edged set in Looks Like a Bit of Me. Deep down, the show is a silly, lighthearted, and playful hour of comedy, with topics ranging from Facebook to children’s triathlons. Yet, beneath it all, lies a comedy style that is notably harsh, direct, and unapologetically abrasive. As Ansett navigates finding his UK voice, he delivers punchlines with a balance of whimsy and bite, leveraging his unfamiliarity with Fringe audiences to create unexpected twists.
Visuals play a major role in the show’s narrative, with Ansett utilizing a mix of static and video content. What makes the performance compelling, however, is the changing nature and use of the visuals. Ansett presents the visuals sparingly, moving away from the classic PowerPoint comedy. Instead, he relies on the slides for gentle comedic support, transitioning back and forth between visual punchlines and evidence of his antics. Using slides in a comedy show carries risk, but Ansett commands complete control over his presentation, decisively activating and removing the slides with expert timing.
His abrasive style comes to the forefront during crowd work where Ansett leans directly into uncomfortable friction. This works both for and against him throughout the set. Where a joke might not land or be too alien to the room, the awkward silence works against him. On the other hand, when his comedy is pointed and unexpected, his laser focus on an audience member elevates his crowd work above that of his peers. When a joke touches a nerve, and believe me, many do, he doubles down, proving that his edge is a deliberate, calculated choice designed to test the audience’s limits.
Looks Like a Bit of Me exists in a world of pure chaotic energy. The show lacks a tight narrative structure, but this leaves room for a myriad of clever reveals and twists. What at first seemed odd, reveals to be an intentionally loose throughline, embracing a controlled chaos that perfectly serves his sharp persona. Ansett creates a fascinating thematic dissonance that elevates Looks Like a Bit of Me from a simple stand-up set into a thrilling, unpredictable hour.
Looks Like a Bit of Me is an exciting beginning to what is sure to be a long and full UK career. Ansett’s awkward onstage persona is an excellent companion to his deadpan, subversive comedic style, making him feel right at home at the Fringe.
