Review: James Trickey – Split, Fringe 2026

James Trickey has returned to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this August with a brand-new show, Split, currently running at the Pleasance Courtyard. Following a chaotic 2025 debut, which included both a fire alarm and an unprovoked assault during a set, Trickey has opted for a humorous preemptive strike. He takes to the stage in protective gear, a physical comedy setup that immediately signals his awareness of his viral, headline-grabbing Fringe history.

Trickey, a chartered accountant by day, continues to blend high-brow intellectual observation with sharp, personal storytelling. Running from 5th to 30th August at 9.25pm, Split serves as both a processing of last year’s trauma and a broader examination of the unique, often awkward, rituals men use to maintain connection.

The Accountant’s Approach to Trauma

Trickey’s material is built on his own duality: a man with a Southeast Asian appearance and a traditionally British name. While regular attendees of his previous work may worry about repetition, Trickey is quick to move past the basics of his identity. He uses these foundations as a springboard, not a crutch. The show rapidly pivots from his heritage into a deeper exploration of male communication.

The “protective gear” gag is more than just a punchline about last year’s incident; it is a clever visual metaphor for the defensive walls men often construct. Trickey’s delivery remains precise and academic, which makes his transition into raw, vulnerable storytelling all the more effective. He manages to dissect these themes without slipping into the trap of blaming societal constructs, preferring instead to observe the human condition with a curious, analytical eye.

Rituals of Connection

The strength of Split lies in Trickey’s ability to take the specific and make it universal. He recounts his complex relationship with his older father and the subtle, unspoken codes he shares with his male friends. There is a palpable honesty in his recognition that deep emotional conversations are rare, even as we age.

Trickey captures the “workarounds” men use to maintain relationships; the coded language, the shared activities, the silence that serves as a stand-in for sentiment. The audience in the Pleasance Bunker Two was visibly engaged, with a demographic range suggesting his themes of male friendship are resonating far beyond his own age group. It is a show that offers comfort in the realisation that men’s struggle to communicate is a shared, if unspoken, experience.

Overall

James Trickey’s Split is a thoughtful, funny, and unexpectedly poignant hour of comedy. He proves that he has moved past his viral notoriety to establish himself as a sophisticated comic voice. By stripping back the layers of male interaction through his own family history and friendships, he delivers a performance that is as relatable as it is sharp. It is an intelligent, well-paced show that comes highly recommended.