Live Performance Review: Josie Long: Romance and Adventure (Edinburgh Festival Fringe), Tuesday 14.08.2012 18:00, Pleasance One, Pleasance Courtyard (Unreserved Seating), Edinburgh 

This is the third time I've seen Josie, having seen her during the Edinburgh Festival Period during the past two years, and in my view she is getting better and better. When I first saw her, although I enjoyed the show, it was essentially whimsical, where as now there is a passion and focus. She proclaims her passion to be Social Justice, and I would say that there is a good degree of actual political awareness within the show. In a strange and differing though informed way, Josie is becoming as political as my hero Mark Thomas.

There was a good balance between personal and political and it never felt to be hectoring or didactic. She came over as erudite, eloquent and informed about literature, as she does regarding politics (though she has got an English literature degree). At the same time she can also still be zany, daft and silly - still doing the excellent homemade programmes handed out free.

Towards the end she explicitly makes the point of the importance, while challenging the status quo (both popular beat combo and sociopolitical situation - my joke), to remain silly and ensure we have fun. Not to allow a sense of guilt about enjoying things that have been given status. The economically privileged are not the only ones allowed to enjoy 'fine' things without guilt. Enjoyment of life and the things we are able to experience should not be inextricably linked to monitory value.

I came away this time with my face sore from laughing and smiling so much. Josie is such an positive, humanely intelligent and enthusiastic presence that I can't help but find her to be both endearing and enchanting. May as well admit it, I'm pretty taken by her. I will keep going year in year out, as long as she keeps up the fine standard she has attained. On a more superficial aside, she may think her 'look' is 'Norwegian Boy', though I think she is one hot lady.

Rating: 10/10.