MAX FULHAM: MEMORY FOAM ⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Max is back and sorting through some boxes, but what will he find? Most likely a mixture of puppet characters, sketches and stand-up for you to rummage through. There’ll be family history, charity shopping, financial advice and more!”

If you have ever wondered what would happen if somebody combined a loft clear-out, stand-up comedy, ventriloquism and a slightly concerning amount of cardboard, MAX FULHAM: MEMORY FOAM has the answer. And thankfully, it is very, very funny.

The direction makes excellent use of the space. There is a real sense that the production has been carefully considered around the environment it is being performed in, rather than simply placing a comedian in the middle and hoping for the best. The movement is clear, the action is well paced, and the space becomes part of the comedy. Most importantly, the direction knows when to let his characters take over.

The set is lovely. A backdrop, a ladder and an absolutely glorious collection of cardboard boxes are enough to transform the stage into what genuinely feels like somebody’s loft.

It is simple, but it works brilliantly. There is something wonderfully Fringe about looking at a stage and immediately thinking, yes, that is definitely someone’s loft, and I am slightly worried about what they have stored up there. The boxes also become part of the storytelling, giving the production plenty of opportunities for surprises and visual comedy without needing a huge budget or complicated mechanics. Sometimes less really is more.

The lighting and sound are lovely and simple. Nothing feels over-designed, and the technical elements support the comedy without competing with it. The lighting keeps the focus exactly where it needs to be, while the sound provides a clean backdrop for the various characters, sketches, and stand-up sections. It is a good example of technical design understanding that the star of the show is very much standing in front of it.

The writing by Max Fulham is packed with laughs. There is a wonderfully silly quality to the script, but underneath the chaos is a very clear understanding of how to construct a comedy hour. Stories build, characters return, and jokes are given enough room to find their rhythm. And there are a lot of jokes. The kind where you find yourself laughing at one thing while simultaneously realising that there is another joke happening underneath it. The only slight wobble comes towards the end. Some more emotional sections feel a little unexpected in the context of what has come before, and I wasn’t entirely convinced they all belonged in the show. The ending itself also feels slightly strange, not necessarily bad, just a little at odds with the brilliantly silly journey that preceded it. But these are minor bumps in what is otherwise an extremely entertaining script. For the overwhelming majority of the hour, you will be laughing your head off.

And then there is Max Fulham. What a performer. Fulham is an exceptional ventriloquist and, frankly, one of the best the UK has to offer. But what makes him so entertaining is that the technical skill never feels like the main event. He is naturally funny. His timing is superb, his comebacks are lightning-fast, and he always feels completely on the ball. Audience interaction could easily become a dangerous game in a show like this. Still, Fulham handles it with the confidence of somebody who already has three possible responses ready before you’ve finished speaking. And then there are the puppets.

You cannot help but love them. Each character has their own personality, rhythm and comic identity, and Fulham clearly looks like he is having an absolute blast bringing them to life. That enjoyment becomes infectious. You don’t simply laugh at the characters — you find yourself rooting for them. There is also something incredibly impressive about watching Fulham switch between himself and his characters with such speed and precision, and somehow the illusion remains completely convincing.

MAX FULHAM: MEMORY FOAM is exactly the show the Fringe does brilliantly. It is silly. It is charming. It is packed with jokes. It has puppets. It has cardboard boxes. It has a ladder. What more could you possibly want? The slightly strange emotional detour towards the end doesn’t quite match the show’s otherwise anarchic comic energy. Still, the sheer amount of laughter generated along the way more than makes up for it.

Max Fulham is an extraordinarily talented ventriloquist and a naturally hilarious performer, and MEMORY FOAM demonstrates just how much you can do with a few boxes, a handful of characters and one performer who is always ready with a comeback.

MAX FULHAM: MEMORY FOAM plays at Pleasance Dome, Jack Dome (Venue 23) at 19:00, with a running time of 60 minutes. It runs from 5–31 August 2026, with no performance on 17 August.

🎟️ Book tickets: Max Fulham: Memory Foam — Edinburgh Fringe