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You are here: Home / Festival / Review: #IsThisEssex? (Fringe 2025)

Review: #IsThisEssex? (Fringe 2025)

August 25, 2025 by Guest Reviewer Leave a Comment

Wes Defoe and Sorabh Dhir’s split bill had the room buzzing from the beginning, opening with lively crowd work and banter that set the tone for a warm, energetic night. Two Essex guys with different roots, they each brought their own brand of funny.

Sorabh Dhir can’t escape hairy situations

First up is Sorabh Dhir, who joked about the intricacies of manscaping his very hairy body, one of the tricky things about his Indian background, before moving into jokes about race and identity.

He’s annoyed about often being mistaken for other ethnicities, so he would rather be confused with what he considers more exotic and faraway places. He closed with a story about an awkward trip to the vet, though at times the set felt more anecdotal than revealing.

Wes Defoe’s Caribbean roots shape his comedy

Then his comedy buddy Wes Defoe brought his charming, nervous energy and strong rapport with the crowd. Talking about his Caribbean family and growing up in Harlow, he joked about teachers exploiting kids for free labour and leaned into physical comedy, collapsing on the floor in mock tears.

He also touched on being teased at school for having a “normal” upbringing, before ending with a burst of beatboxing for a perfect finale.

Overall

Both comics showed plenty of promise for a first Edinburgh run. The material was funny but sometimes stayed at surface level. With more focus on what drives them, they could take their comedy further.

#IsThisEssex?

G. Martin

Comedy
Performance
Originality

Summary

An energetic split bill from two Essex comics with different roots. Defoe and Dhir bring crowd-pleasing charm and humour, ideal for an hour of lighthearted fun and silly gags. Two promising up-and-comers.

3.7
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Filed Under: Festival Tagged With: edfest, fringe 2025

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