Reginald D Hunter

Comedy is having a rather complicated time at this year's festival. It is probably too old to claim it's going through adolescence, so perhaps a midlife crisis would be more accurate, if less kind. For one thing, a row is developing about what the damned thing's actually made of. Perrier judges on this year's panel have complained about the number of high-concept shows, and are asking for a separate award for pure stand-up. The organiser's have thrown it out to the industry. A debate rages.

Reginald D Hunter shows White Woman. It is mesmerising and passionate. It explains the potency of the image of White Woman for a young black boy in the Deep South . It's an intelligent, thought-provoking and personal show, but it's also downright hilarious. Hunter hurls himself at race and sex with a combination of anger and charm, managing to make comedy out of difficult stunts, such as telling a white woman in the audience is preconceptions of her and asking if she thinks he has rhythm and children he doesn't visit. Masterful and important.