post by @nataliagresty

Seen by Natalia at Edinburgh Festival Fringe on the 8th of August 2026

3 stars – zero plus one plus one

A stand-up comic-cum-actor has something happen to him… and not just something, no everyday-minutiae-sort-of-story, but a rare case of amnesia, for 18 full months, to be exact. The next thing we know is, naturally, a 60 minute comedy/theatre show loosely based around it. The question is: does it work?

Eric Lampaert is undoubtedly a captivating, intelligent storyteller with a broad vocabulary and sharp observational talent. Lucky for him, he does also have a story to tell. As we sit back and relax, he proceeds with his recollection of the times before, during and after his memory loss stemming from mysterious origins. His confessional, though overall rather disjointed monologue as if to a therapist consists of stories more or less funny, anecdotes less or more profound, the odd dick joke, a tale of a baptism party in Hollywood Hills a day after escaping the psych ward which turns into a sexy jacuzzi moment, a good deal of candid existentialism and breaking the fourth wall, and I’m surely missing some. 

He’s at the same time thoroughly self-deprecating and clownish -laughing at the size of his gums and his first marriage not working out – and seemingly very convinced in himself and the greater moral of his story. But it’s all a bit scattered, veering on the pseudo-profound too, I’m afraid. I get it: we all want the Hero’s journey [in three stages and 12 or 17 acts, depending on the school of thought]. We all want a full-circle moment, for the final puzzle to click, for all the obstacles thrown under our feet to make sense in the end. And stand-up comedians want it probably even more than others.

Eric is an engaging performer, he’s got wit, he’s got charisma, he’s got the right words. Yet the plotline structure, without either another level of irony or, frankly, more jokes, can sometimes feel a bit self-proclaimed.

Aug 6th-30th at 20:10
Running time: 60 minutes
Venue: Just The Wee One at Just The Tonic at The Caves
Tickets and info: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/eric-lampaert-zero-minus-one 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eric.lampaert?igsh=NjlvYWlsYXpsN2ll