Backstage in Biscuit Land, Pleasance, Edinburgh Fringe

Jess Thom has Tourettes.  Hence the name of her superhero alter ego, Tourettes Hero.  Tourettes is a condition that expresses itself through compulsive physical and verbal 'tics', frequently repetitive.  And Jess' most common verbal tic is 'Biscuit', whence comes the title of this show.

Each show is unique.  The structure might be the same each time, but the level of her Tourettes makes it impossible for her to stick rigidly to words on a page and the result is some surprising non sequiturs.  When there's someone on stage can say literally anything at an time the script tends take a bit of a hammering.  It also means that the other half of this double act, the unflappable Jess Mabel Jones, has to be VERY good at improv and ad libbing!

The show is partly educational/informative.  It looks to explain away the common myths surrounding Tourettes, illustrate the problems the condition can cause in Jess' life, and highlight the levels of creativity it can unleash.  So much of what she says is hilarious so it's as well the audience is given 'permission' to laugh from the off.  It would be impossible not to.

In addition to the informative stuff Thom delivers some very moving moments and if you don't come away filled with admiration for the woman you've probably had an empathy bypass.

If you'd like to see a show with hedgehogs, penguins, Xmas, tits, buzzards, maltesers, pizza and ducks in disguise, or possibly even none of the above, then this is for you.  And there will be biscuits, lots and lots of biscuits.

Learn something and laugh a lot.  Superb.

Backstage in Biscuit Land is on in the Pleasance at 17.00 until the 30th.


Edit :

After posting this I found a photo Twitter taken at the show, providing evidence that me and my friend Kenny became involved in the promotion of bestiality at the end of the show.  Here's the evidence.

Photo courtesy of Anna Bruce  (@tweetannabruce)