Elf Lyon’s is one of the finest physical comedians in the world right now. They blend an incredible and athletic physical presence with a strange sense of fun and near-perfect clowning. We last saw Elf Lyons with her homage to Stephen King, Raven, an incredibly funny but pitch-black scream into the dark that mixed autobiographical storytelling with carefully paced horror. Her new show, Horses, is very different. And much funnier.

For a start, it’s the only show on the fringe that features an actual horse, if by horse we mean Elf herself wearing a very cute hat and using their performing skills to be horse-like. As the routine continues, Elf takes us on a journey about the amazing things horses have done throughout history. As the show points out, there are more statues of horses than there are of women, so horses must be very important.

The remarkable thing is that for much of the show you can believe that a horse is on stage – a cute, cartoon-like horse that exists only in the pages of vintage girls-own comic books like Bunty or Misty, perhaps, but still a horse.

And this makes sense because Horses is a heartfelt tribute to the power of imagination, and an attempt to remind us of the world of play we all experienced as children. The show is peppered with reminisces of Elf’s own childhood. This is a show about why the imagination is an essential part of the human experience, and the importance of childhood.

This is a deeply silly show, and fantastic fun. There is some audience participation, and Elf handles even the most enthusiastic volunteers with grace and humour. This is a very physical show, and Lyon’s ability to tell a joke without saying a word is incredible and memorable. Charming and clever, this a comedian at the peak of their skill and ability. Horses is about play, and the power it contains. Simply Fantastic.

Tickets for 2024’s Edinburgh Fringe run of Horses can be booked here. Further information about future shows can be found here.