David Ward

The truth hurts for former jailbird

David Ward has certainly had a busy old life, mainly revolving around the gambling addictions which led to him doing time. With a title such as The Whole Truth and Nothing But, all we can do is follow him down his own personal lane of memories as his prickly tale opens up some old wounds. In the writing of this show, Ward clearly seemed unsure whether to make it a dramatic monologue with funny bits or create a straight stand-up set (with ‘so, where are you from, my friend’ jovialities) punctured by the serious stuff. The end result is a mixed bag of feelings for the audience while Ward emotes for England.

His decision to bathe himself in a spotlight for the prison material is an unwise trick, feeding his audience with a stringent sign that this is not to be laughed at while the ending feels horribly forced. That said, Ward is an able performer and with a different, more relaxed set he might hit the mark more often than not. (Brian Donaldson)

Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 27 Aug, 3.15pm, £8–£9 (£6.50–£7).

More: David Ward, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Edinburgh Festivals, Fringe, Reviews (Comedy)

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