REVIEW: Chris Grace: 88%, EdFringe 2026 ★★★

“I should be allowed to say whatever I want.”

A gay roomba, ChatGPT and a cishet white man walk into a gay sauna in Chris Grace: 88%… There ensues an hour of stand-up, commenting on the intersectional nuances of modern-day politics and critiquing black-and-white thinking in an age of radicalisation exacerbated by internet sensationalism.

88% is a Pandora’s box of questions on morality: Should you stay friends with somebody who you don’t 100% agree with politically? Which side do you take without knowing the context of the situation? Through a series of personal anecdotes and masterful physical comedy, Grace finesses drawing his audience in with the lighthearted and relatable, before serving up hard-hitting food-for-thought on the nuance of existing in our current world.

At the beginning of his set, Grace warns the audience “by the end of this show, you probably won’t agree with 100% of the things I say.” With a biting in-yer-face humour, Grace’s set takes the form of a series of farcical controversies crafted to keep the audience on their toes, emulating the way right-wing individuals tend to forego thinking before speaking.

The show ends with existential questioning (in classic Chris Grace fashion) about why exactly we as a society have to make ourselves palatable to the aggressor, leaving the audience wondering even after they leave the space.

It is a real challenge to create a show that aims to critique modern society, when there are so many things that are going horribly wrong. It seems almost impossible to cover all current world issues and Grace’s material conveys exactly that.

Flitting from topic to topic, just as often as videos of disaster and suffering are available to us in the age of social media and late-stage capitalism, the audience is taken on a journey of whiplash throughout this hour-long set. Structurally, I would love to see a more streamlined train of thought in future performances, increasing the impact of each segment.

Chris Grace: 88% is a call to action in a passive world of second-guessing, while the far right punches down without a thought.

Recommended Drink: A shot of baiju. Strong, incendiary, used more commonly as a disinfectant in your average Chinese household.

You can catch Chris Grace: 88% at Assembly George Square Studios (Studio Five) from August 11-31 at 13:40 (60mins). Tickets are available through the EdFringe Box Office.