When Yuriko Kotani moved to the UK, she was confounded by our railway services. “Sometimes the train was delayed or the train didn’t come, and I couldn’t understand,” she says. “In Japan, people know that the train comes on time.” Years later, she still can’t rely on the trains here, but it did inspire a standup set about the British concept of “ish”, where everything is an estimate, in contrast to Japanese accuracy.
Such cultural comparisons are a juicy vein for standups. The Edinburgh fringe is always an international affair, with acts and audiences from across the globe. This year, there are shows from 58 countries. Starting your set with an observation that is familiar to the audience bridges cultural boundaries in two ways, says the Indian comedian Vir Das, who is in Edinburgh as part of a world tour. “One, they tell people that we have something in common. Establishing that allows me to then take you to the completely unrelatable. And two, I like comedy that is positive and uplifting, and if we establish that we’re not alone, that’s an enduring footing for a comedy show.”
