Edinburgh review: On the Conditions and Possibilities of Hillary Clinton Taking Me as her Young Lover (Summerhall)

Richard Meros, BA, a young New Zealander with a toothsome smile, and matching yellow bow tie and cummerbund is handing out postcards when you enter the room. On the front is his show's long title. On the reverse, the mailing address to Hillary Clinton's Presidential campaign office – with a pre-printed message endorsing his suitability for the role of her young lover.

It's a good gag, though goodness knows what the Democratic Party's hard-pressed electioneers will make of it if too many of his Edinburgh audience stump up the £1.10 required to post the thing.
In a year when the US election is already sailing frighteningly close to farce, a throwaway idea from a comedian on the make is likely to seem a additional irritant to the serious business of politics.

What's disappointing in fact, is that this good-humoured little show has so little to say on the subject of American politics or the US political system itself. It's just a notion, vaguely amusing but nothing more. Over the course of an hour, Meros gives an illustrated PowerPoint presentation seeking to prove why Hillary should take him as her lover – for the sake of reinvigorating herself and her campaign. "Like a viagra injection to the flaccid body of the state," as he puts it.

The lecture contains a party trick in which he recites all the Presidents in order, backwards, some rather feeble jokes about the philosopher Kant and what Hillary can and can't do, and the observation that JFK, the most adulterous commander in chief, is still the one with the 71 per cent approval rating. In its best section, Meros whittles down the world population of suitable candidates as a young lover to just one – himself.

His efforts have so far earned him the attentions of Homeland Security, who have sent him a letter informing him they are tracking his movements and a review in New York Magazine describing the show as "demented". Silly is the word I'd use; perfectly enjoyable but nothing more than that.

On the Conditions and Possibilities of Hillary Clinton Taking Me as Her Young Lover runs at Summerhall until 28 August (except Mondays)

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