Dom McGovern: Prize Hog review – a sharp standup who is sure to go stellar

Pleasance Courtyard, EdinburghThe Chicken Shop Date co-writer gives a gossipy, erudite account of his relationship with how he looks in this assured debut At a fringe noticeable for the polish even of its rookie standups, here’s another debut showing no signs of callowness. The co-writer of Chicken Shop Date with Amelia Dimoldenberg, you wouldn’t bet against Dom McGovern being a TV fixture soon, such is the smoothness – and good humour – characterising this account of the Hounslow man’s troubled relationship with his body. So are we talking about men’s mental health? Not if McGovern has anything to do with it. His scepticism of that phenomenon, and the performative (straight) male vulnerability it entails, forms one amusing section of his show. There’s precious little emoting or “trauma comedy” at play in Prize Hog, which doesn’t soft-soap McGovern’s difficulties with body dysmorphia and bulimia, but doesn’t over-dramatise them, either. They’re all just fodder for his sharp and gossipy chat with the audience, about a recent trip to Brazil (suboptimal destination for travellers already unconfident about their looks), and about Jesus and his unhelpful dietin