A true sign of the calibre of Thornton’s performance is that he made a show loosely based on the death of this father into one of the funniest gigs of the festival. The whole performance hinged on the sombre note of his father’s death, and his subsequent absence from his life. The death of such a close family member, nay any death, is an odd source of comedic material, yet Thornton turned the entire show into a touching, and downright hilarious, dedication. A sophisticated blend of the sensitive and the senseless, he ensured all jokes regarding his late father were poignant, amusing, and never awkward for this audience.

A fantastic use of props sailed many of his jokes to another level, and his charismatic presence on stage led to several female audience members professing their new-found love for him as they exited the venue ahead of this reviewer after the show. A barrage of excellent material ensured that for the 70 odd minutes Dave Thornton was on stage, the audience loved every minute of it.

With a consistent laugh rate from the audience, there is no doubt that Dave was a hit with the locals. His improvisation with the audience was of a high and polished standard, and his sheer joy of being on stage radiated throughout the gig. A mixture of spot on anecdotes, scripted jokes, improvisation and fantastic prop based gags; A Different Type Of Normal is without a doubt one of the best shows at the festival.