Mark Isaac is gay, autistic, a medical doctor, Scottish, and doesn’t mind poking fun at himself and his neurodivergence (although he says he hates that term, because what’s normal anyway?). It sounds like the ingredients are there for a fun time!

Isaac is one of a growing number of comedians who use their sexuality as a scaffold for their humour, but to throw autism into the mix might seem risky. In Isaac’s case, the risk has not paid off and his show A Kilted Queer does not live up to its publicity and hype.

Isaac has been successful elsewhere, with positive responses at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and Sydney Comedy Festival, but this potential is not evident in his current show, which is disjointed, overly reliant on audience participation, and under-prepared.

The small audience in the cute upstairs Makan Wine Bar were generous, kind spirited and laughed loudly on occasions. Some identified with Isaac’s lived experience, and valued his honesty, but at the end of the day, it was meant to be stand-up comedy, but it missed the mark.