A Review of Toussaint Douglass: Accessible Pigeon Material, Fringe 2025

Accessible Pigeon Material is a sweet but soulful, and always funny, exploration of Toussaint Douglass’ family relationships, with a healthy dose of pigeon facts mixed in. 

The vibe

We open on a plastic pigeon strapped to a remote controlled car, illuminated by a single spotlight. A robotic voice calls out for someone to feed the bird. It seems Toussaint Douglass was being quite literal when he named his comedy hour Accessible Pigeon Material.

Crowded into a bunker at the Pleasance Courtyard, the small audience assembled is eager to see where this bit goes. Our comic starts off bright and sparky, rapid firing bird material and witty pigeon puns with his promised absurdist flair.

The show

The stage space is almost too small to contain his performance, running between each section and climbing rows. It’s unexpected and entertaining, given the awkward persona initially presented to us.

Once the audience is eating out of the palm of his hand (pun intended), Toussaint Douglass shifts gears and we start moving through a sweet but soulful exploration of his childhood growing up in a Caribbean immigrant family, dominated by his larger than life matriarch grandmother.

You’d be forgiven for thinking the anecdotes of his family’s quirks are exaggerated for comedic effect, but Toussaint brings proof his material is very much pulled from real life. He balances these initial caricatures with real honesty and insight which allows us to see his loved ones as multidimensional people, carrying their own histories, rather than the punchline to a joke.

I found this refreshing, and honestly joyful, and perhaps a tonic to the disconnect we can be forced to feel from people whose lives look different to our own.

In summary

This show was truly something unique and I found myself utterly charmed by Toussaint Douglass’ combination of comedy with heart. He knows how to weave a story, not just jokes, and I look forward to seeing what’s next. One to add to your list for the next fringe if he returns given his sellout run.