Slade is about exposing the stupid, and this he does without mercy.While Slade’s material steers clear of any tribute act claim, he has, consciously or unconsciously, borrowed Hicks’ motifs. Despite revelling in the freedom to criticise America with the full support of his audience, Slade doesn’t launch into political material. Instead, he targets the things that a regular family man would get het up about ­ the inefficiency of Microsoft products, Starbucks coffee speak, traffic, ridiculous names given to children. It certainly fits with his boyish persona, appearing as he does, as a cross between Jeff Daniels and Martin Clunes. Inevitably, given their shared geography and culture, there are similarities between the two friends Certainly, Slade can be judged as his own man. He is not a Bill Hicks imitator, but you do get a sense of familiarity as you watch his act.
After a nightmare journey from Oregon, Slade looks remarkably fresh for his first gig outside the US He jokes that he has Luke Skywalker’s haircut. In the intervening years, following Hicks’ untimely death, a legend was born.

Slade’s friendship with Hicks lends an unspoken frisson to the evening and has provoked great interest in the run-up to his stint at this year’s Fringe. Twelve years ago I saw Bill Hicks’ show at the Edinburgh Dream Tent It was an evening that left a permanent impress-ion on me I knew I had witnessed something extra-ordinary. Tonight I am to see Hicks’ best buddy, Dwight Slade, perform. His examination on the effect of climate on attitude and accent is like a Beginners Guide to Montesquieu, we are laughing at credible observations here, and not merely surreal extractions.Venue 33, 10.30pm (1hr), to 25 August (0131-556 6550). It’s not as if he needs to prove what a good host he is.Of the many examples of his charm there was a lovely moment where he explains to a boy that a clitoris is the Greek god of hide and seek, yet Hills doesn’t dwell down under much in an act tinged with poignancy and wonder.A tale of a woman who lost friends in the Bali bombing provides unexpected, tasteful comic relief, the skill of Hills here is to let it teeter on the brink of emotion before reining it back to “life goes on” territory. Liz Lochhead is reading poetry at the Book Festival today at 1.30pm (0131-624 5050). Having seen Hills storm Late ‘n’ Live a week previously, his rock entrance for this performance whetted my appetite for another high-octane turn from the Aussie.

Though the audience ambiance at The Pleasance is not the bear pit that is the Gilded Balloon slot, Hills’ performance proved totally consistent.
“I’m having too much fun,” he says, and you can see that this is a man who loves his work, though he works a little too hard with the audience at the beginning and end of this show. He gets quite used to going out and getting fish and chips.”‘Thebans’ is at The Assembly Rooms (0131-226 2428). You get quite a lot of laughs when you’re working on tragedies, I think, because you have to, but my husband always says I’m worse when I’m doing a comedy. I just go for the clich?you know.”Not that she sees it as light relief “Writing a comedy does your head in,” she admits “You don’t necessarily laugh like mad while you’re doing it. “I did a comedy, Miseryguts, in between Medea and Thebans and I took a couple of months off the Greeks at a certain point towards the end of last year to get going on a romantic comedy about love second time around I’m terrible.