If you have browsed social media AT ALL in the last few years, I am sure at some point you will have come across Daniel Foxx – His slick shock of silver blonde hair and even slicker comedy clips have taken the internet by storm with characters like ‘The Super Villains Gay Assistant’… Not to mention a ton of impressive appearances on BBC One, BBC Three and Comedy Central UK.
Daniel brings his debut hour ‘Villain’ to the Edinburgh Fringe this year in notorious hot box, the Pleasance Baby Grand. The stage is set with green lights, billowing smoke and a keyboard, leaving nowhere to hide.
Having seen artists who struggle to translate their short form clips into longer shows I did have my reservations, but Foxx surpasses every expectation.
With a chic two piece, a dazzling pearl necklace and his trademark white locks, Foxx strikes an imposing figure on stage. Inviting us into his dark lair, glittering eyes framed with black liner, Foxx is the image of malice his title suggests. Think Lord Voldemort meets a vengeful Princess Diana. Swooping into his performance, Foxx immediately leaps for his piano, cracking out the first of several hilarious, poignant and catchy musical numbers; demonstrating his skill as a lyricist and showing off his musical theatre writing background (and surprisingly gorgeous Jazzy vocals?!).
The show focuses on the theme of, yes you guessed it, fictional villains and their queer coded nature. It’s nostalgic, it’s naughty and it’s unapologetically gay. Foxx confidently guides us through his incredibly well-crafted hour; from growing up in the 90’s and the pressures he faced as a young person exploring their sexuality, to re-spun angles on many fictional classics (Captain Hook is a disabled, eccentric, gay sailor trying to live a quiet life whilst being pursued by an ageless, demonic, child abductor, pass it on).
Foxx is a supremely gifted comic whose skill for recall, rapport with the audience and witty, intelligent, filthy material makes him a true Fringe stand-out for me this year.
A villain indeed- Foxx has mastered his signature look, his vindictive manifesto and his ever-growing power. As I leave Foxx’s lair and head back out, blinking into the atmospheric Edinburgh rain (which he has no doubt conjured for effect), I feel it is not long before we see the next stage of his plan- World Domination.
Reviewer: Rita Bryce
Reviewed: 5th August 2023
North West End UK Rating: