Part of the joy of Fringe is the chance to go and see a range of emerging comedians in small venues on the hunt for new talent and ‘oh, I saw them in Adelaide in a tiny room’ kudos. Suma Iyer most definitely fits that bill. It’s not that this first full hour from the RAW Comedy national finalist gets everything right. Early in her one-week run, the energy levels are slightly hesitant and there’s the occasional check of her script too.

But hopefully things will settle, because there’s a lot to like, including some finely-observed stories lovingly sourced from her hometown, the holy city of Woollongong, aka the world’s best steel town on a beach. There’s clear affection for the place that shaped her, her family and her friends, all expressed through carefully constructed anecdotes that pretty much always find their mark. She also possesses a name with many, many rhyming possibilities to explore; Suma Iyer, new messiah very definitely has a ring to it. Again though, the crowd-work as she choses her disciples to launch her bid for religious dominance, feels a little under-powered, particularly as the friendly audience seems desperate to join in. Still, it’s a strong start for her all-important first hour; just like the first messiah, this one’s star is going to rise.