Binns presents a variety show featuring three acts - all, of course, played by Tom Binns. There's Ian D Montfort, a psychic with less than uncanny mystic powers; 'Tom Binns', the ventriloquist who hasn't quite mastered keeping his mouth from moving; and Ivan Brackenbury, the hospital DJ with the most inappropriate taste in music. And the thread running throughout is the art of making it look all wrong, even when you can do it right. Binns kept reminding me of Les Dawson playing the piano or Tommy Cooper messing up a trick.
Montfort plays with, toys with, his audience to poke fun at the con tricks and gullibility essential to 'real' psychic acts, by never quite getting it right. Then slips in a genuine trick at the end. It's easy to see why this character has his own full one hour show elsewhere on the Fringe.
Binns' ventriloquist brings out a family of characters - his parents, wife, children and a couple of oddities - all of whom have some curious speech defect that prevents them from speaking properly - especially words beginning with B.... But there's a lot more to this act than poor pronunciation and the backstories of the characters are funny in themselves.
The most quickfire laughs come from Brackenbury who talks about a patient's illness then unintentionally plays the record most likely to upset them. Hilarious, but ultimately a more limited character than the others and Binns sensibly keeps it shortest.
This show is extremely funny throughout, requires an audience that pays attention as there are several half-hidden gags lurking in the undergrowth, and is definitely one for lovers of irony. Oh, and there's a really good political joke sitting in there too. Binns is a huge talent and should be much better known than he is.
Highly recommended.
Tom Binns : The Club Sessions is on in the Bosco Theatre, George Square at 12.40 until the 31st.
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