This was Maxs last show at the Edinburgh Fringe, and it was a sell-out. A testament to his popularity in his debut run of Full of Ham. First impressions this guy has the comedic spontaneity of Micheal McIntyre with a ventriloquist dummy. Max Fulham is an innovative ventriloquist with originality and flare. For those of you who remember ‘Billy Bear Ham’ growing up, he breathes life into ‘Billy’ in a way that defies logic, but it works. “I’m ham not spam”
Characters who appear in Max’s portfolio of puppetry is his very first red-haired hand puppet given to him as child and from here his interest in ventriloquism was ignited. With a nod to the great Keith Harris and Orvil. Be prepared to see ‘Jesus with his sandals’ grandad, and the ‘birthday boy’. Not forgetting a shopping trip at the checkout.
Right from the start the audience were engaged interacting with his quick firing lines of comedy. As each dummy was introduced Max would use them as a prop, whilst showcasing his ventriloquist craft. Convincing and funny Max storms through his 60 minutes with gusto, there is music ‘action songs and audience participation. His technical abilities are astonishing; the dummies take on a life of their own in a way that I have never seen before. Standout moments were his thoughts in a box in which the box would open and speak of course ‘ventriloquism’ giving away Max’s secret thinking. The segment with the birthday boy was a little odd and somewhat displaced within the wider concept of the show however the audience liked it. 60 minutes with just a ventriloquist dummy would have been too long, not in this case this show is more than that; it is standup comedy, observational humour with ham! Lots of it.
Max Fulham, the most skilful ventriloquist of his time ending his Edinburgh Fringe in style. If you like comedy with ventriloquism or just curious, this is a must-see show. The future looks bright for Max a rising star in the making.
Reviewer: Michelle Knight
Reviewed: 25th August 2025
North West End UK Rating:
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