” 1-hour masterpiece of self-deprecation and self-discovery”
4 * * * * 1/2
Christopher Macarthur-Boyd has been on the comedy radar for a while now, as a supporting act for Frankie Boyle and co-host of the podcast Here Comes The Guillotine. He bursts out of the curtains with this 1-hour masterpiece of self-deprecation and self-discovery. Dressed in a (perhaps ill-advised, given August’s humidity) woollen suit, Macarthur-Boyd seems to hark back to a different age of comedy, but his material is refreshingly modern.
This show feels like a coming-of-age story, both in the way that Macarthur-Boyd dances across themes of nostalgia and teen naivety, and also in a sort of cathartic rebirth of his adult self after a breakup. As the title suggests, CMB delivers this primal howl through a conversational hour that feels as easy as breathing to the 32-year-old. Was the ’90s really that great for music? No. But neither was the ‘00s. Just ask Pavlov. I agree that those of us who went through puberty in the early 2000s were short-changed, and LMFAO’s Party Rock Anthem doesn’t quite have the same depth as Fleetwood Mac or The Beatles in terms of era-defining power.
Macarthur-Boyd’s raw talent as an impressionist also shouldn’t be understated; he wields an unbelievable skill for mimicry combined with a unique instinct for physical comedy. It is a weapon used sparingly, and only to add flavour to his cascade of perfectly polished anecdotes.
The audience lap up every voice, accent and newly introduced character, earning laughs as a weathered cabbie, ‘Craaaaazy Taxi’ and an unlikely nazi. He is particularly skilled at getting laughs through breakneck direction changes, one moment in full character, unhinged and grimacing, the next, his calm and nonchalant self (Often punctuated with a burst of his own laughter). It’s hard not to like him.
Crowd work is also clearly a strong point, and he was gifted a front-row contributor who sparked excited enthusiasm from Macarthur-Boyd with a shared love of Baldur’s Gate III. Their tangent, about the defining choice between shagging the squid or the bear, and the moral implications of kicking the squirrel, were particular highpoints that CMB used to his advantage alongside prepared material.
Any great stand-up show has the cliché dark meaningful traumatic bit that is cause for pause towards the end, and this show is no different. What sets Macarthur-Boyd’s latest show apart is his quiet vulnerability, expertly threaded through bursts of relatable hilarity. Between stories about why you should NEVER use a hotel kettle and iconic PS2 titles, there are profoundly funny tales concerning mental health, sexuality, identity, disability and class.
I’ve seen a number of Macarthur-Boyd’s fringe contributions, and I can say without hesitation that this is his best yet. With self-discovery comes a new voice, and I can’t wait to see where this takes him.
Christopher Macarthur-Boyd: Howling at the Moon
Monkey Barrel 1 & 3
21:00 | 1st-24th August (Not 6th & 13th)
Christopher Macarthur-Boyd: Howling at the Moon ****1/2
Published on
Edinburgh Fringe 2025 
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