A Fringe classic. After five years playing to Edinburgh audiences, and having been toured to various countries around the world, today was the two hundred and second, and (probably, you never know....) last performance of 10 Films With My Dad. It was good to see it retire with glory, with a large and enthusiastic audience there to mark it's passing.
Goatley and his dad never talked much. They just went to films together, and that formed the basis for their relationship. Featuring (you guessed it) ten films they had shared, Aidan charts the highs and lows of their times together, and the uncanny powers of red wellies. It's about communication, missed opportunities, but also the need to express feelings and how difficult that can prove from a man who's been taught to repress his.
Dad set up John Wayne as the perfect role model for his son, so one can only hope he isn't too disappointed with the result. Goatley is unlikely to make a convincingly tough cowboy, because he's warm, welcoming, theatrical, mildly camp, and very, very funny. Plus he delivers a memorable Michael Caine impression. Lacking the budget to show clips from the films themselves, he has recreated some of the scenes using a few mates and his dog, and the results are amateurishly hilarious.
Beyond the comedy there are some moving moments about inter generational misunderstandings and finding ways to make contact with one another. This is the third year running that I've seen the show and there's still a few seconds when I found a few tears in my eyes.
So that's it, a Fringe legend is no more. If you'd like to see what all the fuss was about here's a recording of the show from last year. That says 'final performance' as well, but I think he may actually mean it this time....
Oh, and you'll get to see who the real star of the show is. Hats off to Kimble the dog.
Sunday 30 August 2015
Joanna Neary : Faceful of Issues, Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh Fringe
Superb character comedy with Neary taking on the role of Celia, a housewife out of an Ealing comedy who's been cruelly dropped into the 21st century. Aided by Centre-partin' Martin on guitar, occasional vocals and lisp, she presents her own special form of entertainment for your delectation.
It's all a bit village fete, with a fascination for the most mundane of subjects. So we get to see, and even feel, some of the objects she's picked up at jumble sales, hear about her husband Fred, listen to some songs (she actually has a fine singing voice) and endure a story that might not be quite as suitable for Radio 4 as she hopes. And a couple of members of the audience get to answer some very unusual questions.
It's all completely naff, but in a good way, as she skips about the stage, grinning at her own silliness. A Joyce Grenfell for the modern world, Neary's Celia is the antidote to slickness and pretension. Very funny and simply delightful.
Recommended.
Joanna Neary : Faceful of Issues is on in the Assembly Rooms at 19.45 until the 30th.
It's all a bit village fete, with a fascination for the most mundane of subjects. So we get to see, and even feel, some of the objects she's picked up at jumble sales, hear about her husband Fred, listen to some songs (she actually has a fine singing voice) and endure a story that might not be quite as suitable for Radio 4 as she hopes. And a couple of members of the audience get to answer some very unusual questions.
It's all completely naff, but in a good way, as she skips about the stage, grinning at her own silliness. A Joyce Grenfell for the modern world, Neary's Celia is the antidote to slickness and pretension. Very funny and simply delightful.
Recommended.
Joanna Neary : Faceful of Issues is on in the Assembly Rooms at 19.45 until the 30th.
Luke Wright : Stay-at-Home Dandy, Underbelly, Cowgate, Edinburgh Fringe
Performance poetry is a term that puts a lot of people off. It shouldn't, or at least not when it's the performance and poetry of someone with charisma, a mastery of words, an eye for absurdity and a cutting sense of humour. Someone like Luke Wright.
He's a compelling presence on stage, a foppish dandy bursting with energy and life. Yet much of his subject matter is the mundane, the minutiae of his other role as a stay at home dad looking after two small boys in a small Suffolk town. There are tales and verses about the school run, the other parents, his own father, the characters around the town, and the occasional political rant. He rages against the injustices and pomposities of life whilst displaying an intimate love of his life as a father.
All of this delivered in soaring passionate language, using a vocabulary and structure and rhythm and beat and style to make any pop song seem vapid. Don't let the word 'poetry' put you off seeing this man, this is pure entertainment, engaging and unpretentious.
Highly recommended.
Luke Wright : Stay-at-Home Dandy is on in Underbelly, Cowgate at 18.20 until the 30th.
He's a compelling presence on stage, a foppish dandy bursting with energy and life. Yet much of his subject matter is the mundane, the minutiae of his other role as a stay at home dad looking after two small boys in a small Suffolk town. There are tales and verses about the school run, the other parents, his own father, the characters around the town, and the occasional political rant. He rages against the injustices and pomposities of life whilst displaying an intimate love of his life as a father.
All of this delivered in soaring passionate language, using a vocabulary and structure and rhythm and beat and style to make any pop song seem vapid. Don't let the word 'poetry' put you off seeing this man, this is pure entertainment, engaging and unpretentious.
Highly recommended.
Luke Wright : Stay-at-Home Dandy is on in Underbelly, Cowgate at 18.20 until the 30th.
Saturday 29 August 2015
Nick Doody : T'ai-Po, Canon's Gait, Edinburgh Fringe
From bizarre, self referential, imaginary conversations to leaving the stage as a triumphant winner, Doody is always sharp, imaginative, original and provides the odd stab of darkness and controversy. There are some lovely flights of fancy, but mostly this is solid observational comedy with his own take on everyday banalities.
Nick brings an aura of confidence to the stage and the audience feels in safe hands throughout. He says he knows well his own place in the comedy hierarchy, and his metaphor to illustrate this is both hilarious and just a little disgusting. The hour long performance flows along well and has been carefully structured, building up to the triumph at the end. Although it's the image of penis kennels that will remain with me....
Nick Doody : T'ai-Po is on in the Canon's Gait at 21.35 until the 29th.
Nick brings an aura of confidence to the stage and the audience feels in safe hands throughout. He says he knows well his own place in the comedy hierarchy, and his metaphor to illustrate this is both hilarious and just a little disgusting. The hour long performance flows along well and has been carefully structured, building up to the triumph at the end. Although it's the image of penis kennels that will remain with me....
Nick Doody : T'ai-Po is on in the Canon's Gait at 21.35 until the 29th.
Simon Caine : Buddhism and Cats, Just the Tonic at The Caves, Edinburgh Fringe
This was a strange gig. Caine is clearly talented, but, for whatever reasons, failed to really ignite his audience on this occasion. I would often find myself almost the only person laughing at some lines, while other people found other bits funny, but the audience rarely came together to laugh as one.
Simon battled on through, getting us involved as best he could, and if the end result was patchy it certainly wasn't unenjoyable. There are some very good jokes in his routine, and he's at his best when the subject matter becomes confessional, or on his relationship with cats, when he gets something of a Woody Allen vibe into his delivery.
I did wonder if some direct interaction with the crowd could have sparked some life into proceedings, but maybe it was always destined to be one of those nights when things don't go quite right.
Simon Caine : Buddhism and Cats is on inJust the Tonic at The Caves at 19.30 until the 29th.
Simon battled on through, getting us involved as best he could, and if the end result was patchy it certainly wasn't unenjoyable. There are some very good jokes in his routine, and he's at his best when the subject matter becomes confessional, or on his relationship with cats, when he gets something of a Woody Allen vibe into his delivery.
I did wonder if some direct interaction with the crowd could have sparked some life into proceedings, but maybe it was always destined to be one of those nights when things don't go quite right.
Simon Caine : Buddhism and Cats is on inJust the Tonic at The Caves at 19.30 until the 29th.
Kelly Kingham : Inside Out, Just the Tonic at the Caves, Edinburgh Fringe
Like an eleven year old boy in adult shape, Kingham is coy, awkwardly embarrassing, suddenly forceful. He's also self deprecating, confessional, intimate. More than that, he's very, very funny.
Covering marriage, imaginary friends, parents, jobs, ambitions and the need to have a dream, Kelly takes us into his inner unconfidence and deepest worries. Inventive nonsense that paints a world on the edge of fantasy.
His delivery is unusual - Kingham Style (which is not some Korean song). He can make you laugh with just a movement, a posture, saying "look at me, aren't I ridiculous?" - and, by implication, aren't we all? His mocking of life is gentle, but to the point, and there are some wonderfully sharp throwaway lines so it pays to give him your full attention.
Recommended.
Kelly Kingham : Inside Out is on in Just the Tonic at The Caves at 17.00 until the 29th.
Covering marriage, imaginary friends, parents, jobs, ambitions and the need to have a dream, Kelly takes us into his inner unconfidence and deepest worries. Inventive nonsense that paints a world on the edge of fantasy.
His delivery is unusual - Kingham Style (which is not some Korean song). He can make you laugh with just a movement, a posture, saying "look at me, aren't I ridiculous?" - and, by implication, aren't we all? His mocking of life is gentle, but to the point, and there are some wonderfully sharp throwaway lines so it pays to give him your full attention.
Recommended.
Kelly Kingham : Inside Out is on in Just the Tonic at The Caves at 17.00 until the 29th.
Comedy Manifesto, Liquid Room Annexe, Edinburgh Fringe
Hosted by well known comedian Kate Smurthwaite the show features two teams in a panel game format. The team captains are Phil Loweth and Angie Belcher, this time assisted by Mr Meredith and James Farr. After a few topical jokes from Kate, and a brief stand up routine from each contestant, the first round is the picture quiz, photos from recent news stories. Followed by a match the headline to the story round and finally the manifesto section of the show. In this each contestant puts forward their own idea for a policy that should be adopted.
There's much daftness, some sharp political comments, and chances for the audience to join in. All good fun, with a mild satirical edge and plenty of laughs. The show, of course, is entirely different every day so you could easily go more than once. It can be a good way of finding comedians you might not otherwise come across.
Oh, and Phil's suggestion of a mean tax - the more unpleasant you are, the more tax you pay - won the audience manifesto vote on the day.
Comedy Manifesto is in the Liquid Room Annexe at 15.25 until the 30th.
There's much daftness, some sharp political comments, and chances for the audience to join in. All good fun, with a mild satirical edge and plenty of laughs. The show, of course, is entirely different every day so you could easily go more than once. It can be a good way of finding comedians you might not otherwise come across.
Oh, and Phil's suggestion of a mean tax - the more unpleasant you are, the more tax you pay - won the audience manifesto vote on the day.
Comedy Manifesto is in the Liquid Room Annexe at 15.25 until the 30th.
Thursday 27 August 2015
Vladimir McTavish : Scotland, 45 Events That Shaped a Nation, Stand 5, Edinburgh Fringe
One of the established stars of Scottish comedy, McTavish serves up a sideways look at Scottish history, with special attention going to the sometimes bizarre political events of the last twelve months. An unashamed Yes voter in the 2014 Indyref (there's a clue in the show title!), he has his own take on the rise of the SNP, the numptiness of Jim Murphy and wondering who exactly is Willie Rennie.
There's a great flight of fancy when he imagines posh people of the future celebrating an Irvine Welsh night, and a nice observation on the only time the Orange Lodge ever looked to the future. He also likes to get to know his audience a bit, but never puts pressure on anyone.
You don't have to be Scottish to enjoy this show. But it probably helps to know someone who is. And it was refreshing to be part of that rarest of beasts, a predominately Scottish Fringe audience.
Grand stuff.
Vladimir McTavish is on in Stand 5 at 18.15 until the 30th.
There's a great flight of fancy when he imagines posh people of the future celebrating an Irvine Welsh night, and a nice observation on the only time the Orange Lodge ever looked to the future. He also likes to get to know his audience a bit, but never puts pressure on anyone.
You don't have to be Scottish to enjoy this show. But it probably helps to know someone who is. And it was refreshing to be part of that rarest of beasts, a predominately Scottish Fringe audience.
Grand stuff.
Vladimir McTavish is on in Stand 5 at 18.15 until the 30th.
In the Pink A Capella Present Tuniversity Challenge, Surgeon's Hall, Edinburgh Fringe
In the Pink are an a capella group of seven women from Oxford University. All have excellent voices, all get their turn at providing lead vocals. There is no real standout singer in the group, no 'star', but nor are there any weak links. There are some beautiful arrangements and harmonies, and they make a good job of providing a rhythm section when required.
The choice of songs seemed a little odd and it was hard to work out what kind of audience they were hoping to attract. The majority of numbers were reworkings of contemporary pop songs, which were largely lost on a crowd where the average age might have been around sixty (not that I helped to lower it). There was a curious Disney medley, an old Scots song and one classic rock number (Proud Mary), but much of the music chosen was too bland and uniform.
Stranger still was the format in which the songs were placed. A faux University Challenge contest never really worked as a device and it would have been a much better show with simple introductions between each number. As singers they might all have been operating at a similar level, but the quality of the acting talents on show varied considerably.
Charming, but disappointing.
In the Pink A Cappella Presents Tuniversity Challenge are at The Space at Surgeon's Hall at 16.40 until the 29th.
The choice of songs seemed a little odd and it was hard to work out what kind of audience they were hoping to attract. The majority of numbers were reworkings of contemporary pop songs, which were largely lost on a crowd where the average age might have been around sixty (not that I helped to lower it). There was a curious Disney medley, an old Scots song and one classic rock number (Proud Mary), but much of the music chosen was too bland and uniform.
Stranger still was the format in which the songs were placed. A faux University Challenge contest never really worked as a device and it would have been a much better show with simple introductions between each number. As singers they might all have been operating at a similar level, but the quality of the acting talents on show varied considerably.
Charming, but disappointing.
In the Pink A Cappella Presents Tuniversity Challenge are at The Space at Surgeon's Hall at 16.40 until the 29th.
Mel Moon : Sick Girl, Counting House, Edinburgh Fringe
Moon relates the tale of her own life over the past few years, a period in which she became seriously ill, was eventually diagnosed as having an incurable and life threatening condition, and contemplated suicide as her best way out of the life she felt trapped in. Clearly, since she's here to tell us all this in the form of a stand up comedy show, we know what the end result of that last part was....
This could so easily be a morbid show, one you might emerge from in tears. There are certainly dark moments, and some very moving passages, but this is billed as a comedy show and Mel never lets her audience stay down for long. In Moon-world every cloud has a silver punchlining. This show is far, far funnier than the subject matter suggests, because Mel Moon is a very funny woman.
If I tell you that the show has an uplifting ending please don't get the impression this is going to be some sort of American-style self help bollocks. It's fun, involving, thought provoking and will send you off with a smile on your face and happy to chuck cash into the proffered bucket. (This is a Free Fringe show.)
Afterwards, as I made my way down to the outside world, I thought about the irony of sticking a show called Sick Girl at the top of a long and winding staircase. Maybe that's why it's such a hidden gem?
Highly recommended.
Mel Moon : Sick Girl is in The Counting House at 12.05 until the 30th.
This could so easily be a morbid show, one you might emerge from in tears. There are certainly dark moments, and some very moving passages, but this is billed as a comedy show and Mel never lets her audience stay down for long. In Moon-world every cloud has a silver punchlining. This show is far, far funnier than the subject matter suggests, because Mel Moon is a very funny woman.
If I tell you that the show has an uplifting ending please don't get the impression this is going to be some sort of American-style self help bollocks. It's fun, involving, thought provoking and will send you off with a smile on your face and happy to chuck cash into the proffered bucket. (This is a Free Fringe show.)
Afterwards, as I made my way down to the outside world, I thought about the irony of sticking a show called Sick Girl at the top of a long and winding staircase. Maybe that's why it's such a hidden gem?
Highly recommended.
Mel Moon : Sick Girl is in The Counting House at 12.05 until the 30th.
The Big Bite Sized Breakfast Show, Pleasance Dome, Edinburgh Fringe
A return to the Pleasance Dome for another helping of Breakfast. We were there three weeks ago so there's no need to remind you of the format. This time we saw Menu Three and six playlets.
Once again the show was fast paced, funny, sharply scripted and very well acted. And once again some interesting themes were touched on. The ways in which our old friends can become an embarrassment to us as we move on in life, the excesses of capitalism and the stupidity of modern selling techniques, the dislocation of commitment phobia and the madness and neediness of social media and celebrity. Plus a very clever drama in which every line was a single word.
Once again all six actors gave excellent performances, but the standouts this time were Annie Harris and Katrina Holloway, the former sharp and sassy as a sex worker, the latter bringing pathos to a duck. Yes, really. You should see it to know what I mean.
The Big Bite Size Breakfast show is in the Pleasance Dome at 10.30 and runs until the 31st.
Once again the show was fast paced, funny, sharply scripted and very well acted. And once again some interesting themes were touched on. The ways in which our old friends can become an embarrassment to us as we move on in life, the excesses of capitalism and the stupidity of modern selling techniques, the dislocation of commitment phobia and the madness and neediness of social media and celebrity. Plus a very clever drama in which every line was a single word.
Once again all six actors gave excellent performances, but the standouts this time were Annie Harris and Katrina Holloway, the former sharp and sassy as a sex worker, the latter bringing pathos to a duck. Yes, really. You should see it to know what I mean.
The Big Bite Size Breakfast show is in the Pleasance Dome at 10.30 and runs until the 31st.
Wednesday 26 August 2015
Reginald D Hunter : Bitchproof, Pleasance, Edinburgh Fringe
Hunter introduced himself with an explanation of why people thought he had lost his anger, and with it his comedy edge. Not having seen him live before I can't say if there's a change or not, but I was surprised by just how laid back, and at times indecisive, he appeared to be,
Which isn't to say he wasn't funny. Or, at times, edgy. A largely white, liberal-minded audience can be easily made to feel guiltily uncomfortable by a black comedian and Reg uses that to good effect. Enough to provoke a bit of thought about your own world view and the nature of perceived prejudices. You're forced to listen closely if you really want to work out the validity of your own reactions to some of his material.
It isn't all about racism and bigotry though, and Hunter mixes arrogance and self deprecation in telling tales from his personal life and relationships. In doing so he shows a surprising vulnerability and you can't but warm to him. He also gets the audience involved a bit, through a few one to one interactions, and a selection of vox pops. His reactions to these were close to bemused at times and he seems constantly to be trying to figure people out.
This show won't have you falling out of your seat with laughter, although it is genuinely funny. But it does provide an idiosyncratic view of the world and some thought provoking material that might make you question your own beliefs.
Reginald D Hunter : Bitchproof is on in the Pleasance at 20.00 until the 30th.
Which isn't to say he wasn't funny. Or, at times, edgy. A largely white, liberal-minded audience can be easily made to feel guiltily uncomfortable by a black comedian and Reg uses that to good effect. Enough to provoke a bit of thought about your own world view and the nature of perceived prejudices. You're forced to listen closely if you really want to work out the validity of your own reactions to some of his material.
It isn't all about racism and bigotry though, and Hunter mixes arrogance and self deprecation in telling tales from his personal life and relationships. In doing so he shows a surprising vulnerability and you can't but warm to him. He also gets the audience involved a bit, through a few one to one interactions, and a selection of vox pops. His reactions to these were close to bemused at times and he seems constantly to be trying to figure people out.
This show won't have you falling out of your seat with laughter, although it is genuinely funny. But it does provide an idiosyncratic view of the world and some thought provoking material that might make you question your own beliefs.
Reginald D Hunter : Bitchproof is on in the Pleasance at 20.00 until the 30th.
A Very Tall Storrie, Counting House, Edinburgh Fringe
Ashley Storrie had her audience laughing before the show had even begun, up on the stage and bantering with all and sundry as they found their seats. So we were in a good mood by the time things got underway properly and the laughs continued for the next hour.
Effortlessly funny, Ashley has a lot to say about her unusual home life, the impact of puberty, the perils of having sex with shorter men and how to chat men up (or not....). She also has a novel way of dealing with catcalling builders. There's much there that's traditional comedy subject matter, but she's able to provide an original spin to most topics, and an infectious grin that dares you not to laugh. Storrie also works well with her audience, bringing individuals into the show without putting any pressure on them.
Although she can be tough enough when required. As her ejection of a chatting group of evil robot creators (I may not have that quite right....) proved. The audience approved.
Very funny stand up and definitely worth a visit.
A Very Tall Storrie is on in the Counting House at 18.15 until the 30th.
Effortlessly funny, Ashley has a lot to say about her unusual home life, the impact of puberty, the perils of having sex with shorter men and how to chat men up (or not....). She also has a novel way of dealing with catcalling builders. There's much there that's traditional comedy subject matter, but she's able to provide an original spin to most topics, and an infectious grin that dares you not to laugh. Storrie also works well with her audience, bringing individuals into the show without putting any pressure on them.
Although she can be tough enough when required. As her ejection of a chatting group of evil robot creators (I may not have that quite right....) proved. The audience approved.
Very funny stand up and definitely worth a visit.
A Very Tall Storrie is on in the Counting House at 18.15 until the 30th.
Paul Harry Allen's Retro Delights, Finegan's Wake, Edinburgh Fringe
Allen loves junk shops, charity shops and car boot sales for the chance to rummage around and dig out surprising objects from the past of others. This has given him a large collection of kitsch pottery, photos of unknown people, and, his first love, rubbishy LPs, and this show is his chance to share some of the funniest and weirdest stuff he's picked up.
The first half of the show is given over to the pottery and pictures, with plenty opportunity to wonder who would buy something like that, or actually choose to sit that way in front of a photographer. There's some fun to be had from this, but it's a bit hit and miss at times. I was surprised, given evidence from his previous Edinburgh show, that he didn't invent more fictional backstories to bring the objects to life. This could have been more successful than going for quicker punchlines.
Things improve greatly when full attention is put on to his record collection, especially 'party' records, with a strong reminder of just how creepy the 60s and 70s now look from a modern day perspective. There are a lot of laughs to be had from the oddity of the album covers, bizarre nature of some of the contents, and snippets of tracks with surprising lyrics. We even get to join on one of the corniest singalongs you could imagine.
Allen's amiable style make him easy to like and enjoy. For lovers of oddities from our not so distant past, and anyone looking for a reminder of how much the world has moved on in the last fifty years, this is the show for you.
Paul Harry Allen's Retro Delights is on in Finegan's Wake at 15.45 until the 29th.
The first half of the show is given over to the pottery and pictures, with plenty opportunity to wonder who would buy something like that, or actually choose to sit that way in front of a photographer. There's some fun to be had from this, but it's a bit hit and miss at times. I was surprised, given evidence from his previous Edinburgh show, that he didn't invent more fictional backstories to bring the objects to life. This could have been more successful than going for quicker punchlines.
Things improve greatly when full attention is put on to his record collection, especially 'party' records, with a strong reminder of just how creepy the 60s and 70s now look from a modern day perspective. There are a lot of laughs to be had from the oddity of the album covers, bizarre nature of some of the contents, and snippets of tracks with surprising lyrics. We even get to join on one of the corniest singalongs you could imagine.
Allen's amiable style make him easy to like and enjoy. For lovers of oddities from our not so distant past, and anyone looking for a reminder of how much the world has moved on in the last fifty years, this is the show for you.
Paul Harry Allen's Retro Delights is on in Finegan's Wake at 15.45 until the 29th.
BBC Presents... Comedy with Ed Byrne, BBC Potterrow, Edinburgh Fringe
Ed Byrne as MC introducing a variety of comedy acts who are on at the Fringe. Byrne opened with a routine from his own show, then brought on the acts.
Ryhs Nicholson opened, an iconoclastic Australian with a fine line in bitchy campness. Great stuff on gay rights and the differences between Australia and.... more civilised countries.
American sketch duo The Pyjama Men were next. Fast paced character comedy with a touch of the surreal, pyjamas, and a lot of laugh out loud moments. They were followed by Tiff Stevenson whose Fringe show has been getting rave reviews and it was just about possible to see glimpses of why that's the case. But this was a lacklustre performance that never really built up any momentum. Tired perhaps?
American David Wills is so laconic that it would be hard to tell his lively and torpid moments apart. A very dry, cocktail bar style delivers some sharp observations on the world, and an excellent routine on transgender issues.
Another sketch act, Massive Dad are not big, or fathers, but three young women with great imagination. Carefully constructed scenarios build up to big laughs and hit a few targets along the way. The penultimate act was Glen Wool, the Canadian we'd seen a few days ago in the same setting. He delivered the same routine as before and - guess what? - it was just as funny as last time.
The final act was also the best known, Andrew Maxwell. A good professional set to round of the night. And Byrne did an excellent and enthusiastic job running the show.
Did any of the participants win me over? They certainly did. Nicholson, Massive Dad and Wool or all on my want-to-see list. Although time is running out for Fringe 2015. Maybe next year....
This was a one-off event in the BBC Big Blue Tent.
Ryhs Nicholson opened, an iconoclastic Australian with a fine line in bitchy campness. Great stuff on gay rights and the differences between Australia and.... more civilised countries.
American sketch duo The Pyjama Men were next. Fast paced character comedy with a touch of the surreal, pyjamas, and a lot of laugh out loud moments. They were followed by Tiff Stevenson whose Fringe show has been getting rave reviews and it was just about possible to see glimpses of why that's the case. But this was a lacklustre performance that never really built up any momentum. Tired perhaps?
American David Wills is so laconic that it would be hard to tell his lively and torpid moments apart. A very dry, cocktail bar style delivers some sharp observations on the world, and an excellent routine on transgender issues.
Another sketch act, Massive Dad are not big, or fathers, but three young women with great imagination. Carefully constructed scenarios build up to big laughs and hit a few targets along the way. The penultimate act was Glen Wool, the Canadian we'd seen a few days ago in the same setting. He delivered the same routine as before and - guess what? - it was just as funny as last time.
The final act was also the best known, Andrew Maxwell. A good professional set to round of the night. And Byrne did an excellent and enthusiastic job running the show.
Did any of the participants win me over? They certainly did. Nicholson, Massive Dad and Wool or all on my want-to-see list. Although time is running out for Fringe 2015. Maybe next year....
This was a one-off event in the BBC Big Blue Tent.
Broken Biscuits (Lantern Theatre), The Space on the Mile, Edinburgh Fringe
Rita is mourning the death of her only son in Afghanistan, killed when saving the life of the son of her best friend Maggie. Struggling to cope with the life left to her, she can't help herself from blaming her friend for having a son who's alive when hers has gone.
The drama is played out at Rita's front door, she inside, Maggie on the doorstep. With the latter, despite every effort, unable to bridge the physical or figurative gap between them. The set conveying this has been cleverly constructed and there's some nice offstage work to keep the action flowing.
Excellent performances from the two leads, Leanne Martin as Rita and Jane Hogarth playing Maggie. Possibly better than the script deserves. From the off the efforts being made to emotionally manipulate the audience feel too heavy handed, and there are a lot of obvious cliches along the way. There is only one really good laugh to lighten things a bit. The author's intention may have been for the brief appearances of a third character, an annoying teenager called Molly, to provide some levity, but she just came across as distractingly insensitive.
The play is certainly well intentioned, but too clunky to generate a real sense of involvement. At least the performances do provide a lot to enjoy.
Broken Biscuits is on in The Space on the Mile at 19.20 until the 29th.
The drama is played out at Rita's front door, she inside, Maggie on the doorstep. With the latter, despite every effort, unable to bridge the physical or figurative gap between them. The set conveying this has been cleverly constructed and there's some nice offstage work to keep the action flowing.
Excellent performances from the two leads, Leanne Martin as Rita and Jane Hogarth playing Maggie. Possibly better than the script deserves. From the off the efforts being made to emotionally manipulate the audience feel too heavy handed, and there are a lot of obvious cliches along the way. There is only one really good laugh to lighten things a bit. The author's intention may have been for the brief appearances of a third character, an annoying teenager called Molly, to provide some levity, but she just came across as distractingly insensitive.
The play is certainly well intentioned, but too clunky to generate a real sense of involvement. At least the performances do provide a lot to enjoy.
Broken Biscuits is on in The Space on the Mile at 19.20 until the 29th.
Porky the Poet in Apologist Now!, Liquid Room Annexe, Edinburgh Fringe
Aka Phill Jupitus
Once again Jupitus revives his original performance incarnation and brings it to the Free Fringe. Old poems, new poems. Funny, political, quirky. With some old fashioned comedy thrown in.
Jupitus clearly has a way with words, a feel for language, and an ear for the rhythms and cadences of speech. There's everything from a seven verse epic to a series of haiku. And his project to produce a ten line poem for every day of the Fringe, using only show titles for each line, is fascinating.
Don't come to see a comedian, come for the words, the meaning, the poetry. And get some comedy as a bonus.
A very enjoyable hour.
Phill Jupitus is Porky the Poet in Apologist Now! is on in the Liquid Room Annexe at 17.20 until the 30th.
PS I wonder if any member of the audience will impress Phill more than my wife did when she admitted the first gig she ever went to was The Beatles....?
Once again Jupitus revives his original performance incarnation and brings it to the Free Fringe. Old poems, new poems. Funny, political, quirky. With some old fashioned comedy thrown in.
Jupitus clearly has a way with words, a feel for language, and an ear for the rhythms and cadences of speech. There's everything from a seven verse epic to a series of haiku. And his project to produce a ten line poem for every day of the Fringe, using only show titles for each line, is fascinating.
Don't come to see a comedian, come for the words, the meaning, the poetry. And get some comedy as a bonus.
A very enjoyable hour.
Phill Jupitus is Porky the Poet in Apologist Now! is on in the Liquid Room Annexe at 17.20 until the 30th.
PS I wonder if any member of the audience will impress Phill more than my wife did when she admitted the first gig she ever went to was The Beatles....?
David Tsonos : Walking the Cat, Just the Tonic at The Caves, Edinburgh Fringe
A stand up show in which the title is actually reflected in much of the content. Which makes a change.
Tsonos tells stories about the cat he inherited from his ex 16 years ago. And other animals. He's got nice easy (Canadian) delivery and lots of self deprecation, with a lot of decent punch lines. There's some excellent jokes about cats, dogs and airport security.
You can tell who's a real pro comedian by how they handle a small self conscious audience, and Tsonos did a good job. It didn't help that he was having to self censor a bit because some idiots had brought their 11 year old daughter into a show advertised as 16+ (can these people read?), but he always manage to keep the crowd with him. And delivered a big finish with his routine about national animals.
Good fun and well worth a look. But don't take your wee kids along, eh?
David Tsonos : Walking the Cat is on at Just the Tonic at The Caves at 14.45 until the 29th.
Tsonos tells stories about the cat he inherited from his ex 16 years ago. And other animals. He's got nice easy (Canadian) delivery and lots of self deprecation, with a lot of decent punch lines. There's some excellent jokes about cats, dogs and airport security.
You can tell who's a real pro comedian by how they handle a small self conscious audience, and Tsonos did a good job. It didn't help that he was having to self censor a bit because some idiots had brought their 11 year old daughter into a show advertised as 16+ (can these people read?), but he always manage to keep the crowd with him. And delivered a big finish with his routine about national animals.
Good fun and well worth a look. But don't take your wee kids along, eh?
David Tsonos : Walking the Cat is on at Just the Tonic at The Caves at 14.45 until the 29th.
Tuesday 25 August 2015
Tom Binns : The Club Sets, George Square Gardens, Edinburgh Fringe
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.
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.
Monday 24 August 2015
Joseph Morpurgo : Soothing Sounds for Baby, Pleasance, Edinburgh Fringe
A sixty minute delve into the bizarre imagination of Morpurgo. Intricately constructed, the show's core has Joseph being interviewed by an increasingly disturbed Kirsty Young on Desert Island Discs. Each weird musical choice is the cue for a mini sketch and a chance for Morpurgo to show off his ability to create a range of characters. Running alongside is a sub plot tracing the story of Morpurgo's lost teenage love. And do keep your eyes on the screen during the costume changes, there are some great throwaway lines up there. Variety is a constant.
Some sketches have audience participation, some are ironically nostalgic, some are surprisingly dark - with Winnie the Pooh re-imagined as a tale of horror being a highlight. All are original and mostly very funny.
Intelligent, multi layered and at times quite surreal, if you enjoy humour that demands your full attention, and admire an inventiveness that mashes up genres and formats, then this might just be your thing.
Joseph Morpurgo : Soothing Sounds for Baby is on in the Pleasance at 2015 until the 31st. The Fringe website is showing all shows as sold out.
Some sketches have audience participation, some are ironically nostalgic, some are surprisingly dark - with Winnie the Pooh re-imagined as a tale of horror being a highlight. All are original and mostly very funny.
Intelligent, multi layered and at times quite surreal, if you enjoy humour that demands your full attention, and admire an inventiveness that mashes up genres and formats, then this might just be your thing.
Joseph Morpurgo : Soothing Sounds for Baby is on in the Pleasance at 2015 until the 31st. The Fringe website is showing all shows as sold out.
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)
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)
Bridget Christie : A Book For Her, Stand, Edinburgh Fringe
Christie is generally portrayed as a feminist comedian and while it's true that there are strong feminist themes throughout the label rather unjustly seems to cast her as a bit of a one trick pony. There's a lot of arguments being explored in this hour, with injustice the linking factor.
There's a wonderful passage about Nigel Farage being a character created by a comedian (although it makes you feel sad to remember he's actually real....) and some good stuff on the discomfort that white people feel trying to discuss racism. She picks on the Tories for their evil behaviour and Labour for their general uselessness. There's no lecturing involved, instead she's just very, very funny.
Highly recommended.
Bridget Christie : A Book For Her is in the Stand at 11.00 until the 31st. The Fringe website is showing all dates as sold out.
There's a wonderful passage about Nigel Farage being a character created by a comedian (although it makes you feel sad to remember he's actually real....) and some good stuff on the discomfort that white people feel trying to discuss racism. She picks on the Tories for their evil behaviour and Labour for their general uselessness. There's no lecturing involved, instead she's just very, very funny.
Highly recommended.
Bridget Christie : A Book For Her is in the Stand at 11.00 until the 31st. The Fringe website is showing all dates as sold out.
Sunday 23 August 2015
Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour, Traverse, Edinburgh Fringe
I should begin with a confession. Other than a handful of special cases I have never been able to enjoy musicals. My attitude can be summed up in two brief sentences :
"Please stop singing and prancing about and just get on with the plot. Oh - hang on - there isn't one...."
And that was my reaction to this production despite it being very well performed and having some genuine pathos in the storyline.
Six catholic schoolgirls from Oban are off to Edinburgh to take part in a choral competition. But they have other plans, largely based around alcohol and sex. A variety of adventures and misfortunes occur, and along the way the girls find out a lot more about each other a discover connections they hadn't previously recognised. There are some excellent individual tales, but any continuity is always disrupted by the need to burst into song at random moments, most of the lyrics seemingly unconnected to the stories being told. It makes for frustrating viewing, and a piece that is over long by a good half hour.
Not that there's anything wrong with the singing itself, or the dance routines or the live three piece band. They are entertaining enough, just feeling irrelevant most of the time.
All six actors give excellent performances, but Dawn Sievewright stood out for her characterisations and singing voice.
At the end a large part of the audience delivered a standing ovation, so they obviously saw something I didn't, or are more easily pleased. My wife overheard one woman saying that the play had reflected her own life. So maybe it's my fault for never having been a catholic schoolgirl?
Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour is on in the Traverse at various times until the 30th. The Fringe website is showing their allocation is sold out for all nights.
"Please stop singing and prancing about and just get on with the plot. Oh - hang on - there isn't one...."
And that was my reaction to this production despite it being very well performed and having some genuine pathos in the storyline.
Six catholic schoolgirls from Oban are off to Edinburgh to take part in a choral competition. But they have other plans, largely based around alcohol and sex. A variety of adventures and misfortunes occur, and along the way the girls find out a lot more about each other a discover connections they hadn't previously recognised. There are some excellent individual tales, but any continuity is always disrupted by the need to burst into song at random moments, most of the lyrics seemingly unconnected to the stories being told. It makes for frustrating viewing, and a piece that is over long by a good half hour.
Not that there's anything wrong with the singing itself, or the dance routines or the live three piece band. They are entertaining enough, just feeling irrelevant most of the time.
All six actors give excellent performances, but Dawn Sievewright stood out for her characterisations and singing voice.
At the end a large part of the audience delivered a standing ovation, so they obviously saw something I didn't, or are more easily pleased. My wife overheard one woman saying that the play had reflected her own life. So maybe it's my fault for never having been a catholic schoolgirl?
Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour is on in the Traverse at various times until the 30th. The Fringe website is showing their allocation is sold out for all nights.
Chris Coltrane : Left-Wing Propaganda Machine, Banshee Labyrinth, Edinburgh Fringe
An hour with one of the friendliest comedians on the Fringe, and one who leaves you in no doubt where his political allegiances lie. Using images and video clips to make his points, Coltrane attacks the Tories and ukip for the damage they have done to our society and culture, and despairs of a Labour Party that seems to think it's doing something wrong to have an actual 'left wing' leadership contender. There's an array of facts and figures to debunk the common myths put out by the right wing media, and a good few made up facts to get the laughs. He's also very good on drug policy and not above taking the piss out of himself.
I was curious about the elephant in the room, a big eared beast that only got pointed at briefly in the final sixty seconds. How do you do a left wing political show, in Edinburgh in 2015, and not bring in the huge impact of Scotland and the SNP on Westminster? Very odd.
Playing to a hot and sticky packed out room Chris delivered an entertaining, informative and in some ways inspiring hour of comedy. Worth a visit.
Chris Coltrane : Left-Wing Propaganda Machine is on in the Banshee Labyrinth at 15.30 until the 30th.
I was curious about the elephant in the room, a big eared beast that only got pointed at briefly in the final sixty seconds. How do you do a left wing political show, in Edinburgh in 2015, and not bring in the huge impact of Scotland and the SNP on Westminster? Very odd.
Playing to a hot and sticky packed out room Chris delivered an entertaining, informative and in some ways inspiring hour of comedy. Worth a visit.
Chris Coltrane : Left-Wing Propaganda Machine is on in the Banshee Labyrinth at 15.30 until the 30th.
Can't Care, Won't Care, Banshee Labyrinth, Edinburgh Fringe
It's impossible not to warm to Sophia Walker. Before the show began she was chatting away with the audience, asking about other shows people have seen, suddenly she dives offstage and immediately returns, in character, to launch into her solo performance. In it she alternately takes the part of a a prosecuting lawyer, and the care worker accused of seriously neglecting her 'service users'.
It's an intense subject, using real life cases as a basis, where the government cuts to services for vulnerable people are hugely increasing their risks of suffering physical damage and even death. Walker hits very specific targets, both the high level policy and low level management being shown to be part of the problem. At the heart of the drama is a woman trying to her best for the people in her care, even if that means bypassing the rules. It's the constant battle to reconcile the structure provided by laws and codes against the real life actions and limitations faced up to daily. It's about objectivity being the sledgehammer which rejects the nuanced subjectivity that reality demands.
This situation is clearly outlined with explanations of government policies and bureaucratic procedures, and there are times when it feels like diatribe overrides drama. There are very few laughs and it felt like it could do with a few more to lighten the ongoing onslaught of facts and the effective cruelty that is the result of the cuts. A little more satire and less lecture would improve this as an entertainment.
Nevertheless this is an impressive performance and well worth a look if the subject matter is of interest to you.
Can't Care, Won't Care is on in the Banshee Labyrinth at 13.40 until the 30th.
It's an intense subject, using real life cases as a basis, where the government cuts to services for vulnerable people are hugely increasing their risks of suffering physical damage and even death. Walker hits very specific targets, both the high level policy and low level management being shown to be part of the problem. At the heart of the drama is a woman trying to her best for the people in her care, even if that means bypassing the rules. It's the constant battle to reconcile the structure provided by laws and codes against the real life actions and limitations faced up to daily. It's about objectivity being the sledgehammer which rejects the nuanced subjectivity that reality demands.
This situation is clearly outlined with explanations of government policies and bureaucratic procedures, and there are times when it feels like diatribe overrides drama. There are very few laughs and it felt like it could do with a few more to lighten the ongoing onslaught of facts and the effective cruelty that is the result of the cuts. A little more satire and less lecture would improve this as an entertainment.
Nevertheless this is an impressive performance and well worth a look if the subject matter is of interest to you.
Can't Care, Won't Care is on in the Banshee Labyrinth at 13.40 until the 30th.
Saturday 22 August 2015
Margaret Thatcher Queen of Soho, Assembly George Square Gardens, Edinburgh Fringe
Thatcher as Gay Diva. Matt Tedford is superb as the unlamented 'Iron Lady', bringing the right dose of arrogance while making the voice just a little less grating than the original, then camping the whole act up to Dame Edna levels. He's quick with the ad libs, easily putting hecklers in their place, and is constantly breaking the fourth wall to bring the audience into the proceedings. It's a performance filled with energy and knowing winks.
Backing him up are 'The Wets', aides de camp indeed. They provide caricaturisations of several figures from 80s politics and some style to the dance routines. Their excellent timing and slickness kept the scenes turning over rapidly and provided a lot of the laughs.
The storyline is a take on Thatcher's years in power and what she might have been if some element of humanity and empathy had ever played any part in her thinking. While much of the focus is on the controversy surrounding the homophobic Section 28 there are plenty of other clever references to the sad legacy her policies have inflicted on the UK. They even manage to bring Jeremy Corbyn in so there's a freshness to the script.
Good fun, a lot of noise, colour and laughter. And some sharp reminders of how damaging that period was and how Many problems it has bequeathed to us today.
Margaret Thatcher Queen of Soho is on in the Bosco Theatre in George Square Gardens at 21.00 until the 30th.
Backing him up are 'The Wets', aides de camp indeed. They provide caricaturisations of several figures from 80s politics and some style to the dance routines. Their excellent timing and slickness kept the scenes turning over rapidly and provided a lot of the laughs.
The storyline is a take on Thatcher's years in power and what she might have been if some element of humanity and empathy had ever played any part in her thinking. While much of the focus is on the controversy surrounding the homophobic Section 28 there are plenty of other clever references to the sad legacy her policies have inflicted on the UK. They even manage to bring Jeremy Corbyn in so there's a freshness to the script.
Good fun, a lot of noise, colour and laughter. And some sharp reminders of how damaging that period was and how Many problems it has bequeathed to us today.
Margaret Thatcher Queen of Soho is on in the Bosco Theatre in George Square Gardens at 21.00 until the 30th.
Fully Committed, Underbelly Potterrow, Edinburgh Fringe
A truly astonishing solo performance from Marcus Brigstocke. He plays Sam, a wannabe actor who pays the bills by answering the reservations phone line in an exclusive place-to-be-seen New York restaurant. He also plays every other character in a dramatis personae that must stretch to around 40, acting out his conversations with them on phone and intercom. There's a couple of members of his family, two contacts from his acting world, half a dozen colleagues within the restaurant and countless customers demanding their share of Sam's time and making his life difficult. And Brigstocke gives every single one of them a voice, an accent, their own body language and personality.
It's mesmerising to watch these continual transformations taking place and Marcus, experienced comedian that he is, draws out all the laughs from the script and the opportunities to portray a range from high camp to quietly menacing. The title echoes the phrase used to convey how booked up the establishment is, but also reflects Sam's predicament in trying to spread himself so thinly, and gradual realisation that he'll do anything, even if a bit unethical, to get himself into the acting business. His agent is telling him to present himself to auditions as if he's entitled to be there, and he has plenty of overly-entitled rich people calling him up who he can learn from.
It's an effective dissection of the snobbery, oneupmanship and bitchiness that seems to be the default status of the privileged, although it did feel as if the script needed more of a satirical edge. In the end there was little to provoke any depth of thinking.
But that's carping. Taken purely as an entertainment, and a chance to watch a masterclass in characterisation, this is a satisfying and very funny way to spend seventy minutes. And you won't forget Brigstocke's performance.
It's mesmerising to watch these continual transformations taking place and Marcus, experienced comedian that he is, draws out all the laughs from the script and the opportunities to portray a range from high camp to quietly menacing. The title echoes the phrase used to convey how booked up the establishment is, but also reflects Sam's predicament in trying to spread himself so thinly, and gradual realisation that he'll do anything, even if a bit unethical, to get himself into the acting business. His agent is telling him to present himself to auditions as if he's entitled to be there, and he has plenty of overly-entitled rich people calling him up who he can learn from.
It's an effective dissection of the snobbery, oneupmanship and bitchiness that seems to be the default status of the privileged, although it did feel as if the script needed more of a satirical edge. In the end there was little to provoke any depth of thinking.
But that's carping. Taken purely as an entertainment, and a chance to watch a masterclass in characterisation, this is a satisfying and very funny way to spend seventy minutes. And you won't forget Brigstocke's performance.
Thursday 20 August 2015
Blueflint, Acoustic Music Centre, Edinburgh Fringe
A highly enjoyable hour and a bit of music from local band Blueflint, who I reviewed earlier this year. With a good mix of slow and up tempo material and some lovely arrangements they remain an excellent live act. The two vocalists were on great form and the musicianship was polished. There was one change to the line up from the Voodoo Rooms, with Clare's brother Roddy, a skillful and visually entertaining performer, providing some great fiddle and a bit of guitar.
As in April the band came out into the auditorium to perform an unplugged number. Having to align themselves down one staircase, and unable to actual get into the closely packed crowd, may have made it less successful this time. It was hard for me to tell as I had the best seat in the house with Debs, on lead vocal, just two metres away so it all sounded fine from where I was! (But apologies for almost ruining the moment with my hard-to-silence coughing fit....)
One of Edinburgh's finest.
Blueflint were performing for one night only.
As in April the band came out into the auditorium to perform an unplugged number. Having to align themselves down one staircase, and unable to actual get into the closely packed crowd, may have made it less successful this time. It was hard for me to tell as I had the best seat in the house with Debs, on lead vocal, just two metres away so it all sounded fine from where I was! (But apologies for almost ruining the moment with my hard-to-silence coughing fit....)
One of Edinburgh's finest.
Blueflint were performing for one night only.
Loving Linda Smith Gala Concert, Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh Fringe
A benefit concert commemorating the great comedian Linda Smith, who died of ovarian cancer in 2006. When the lights went down there was an opening announcement (offstage) from her partner, Warren Lakin, which was extremely moving. It's clear she is still missed greatly by many people, and that further research into the disease is vital.
Fred MacAulay was MC for the night and did his usual professional job. With such a starry lineup to introduce it would have been hard to go wrong. For two hours we were entertained by Bridget Christie, Mark Thomas, Liz Lochead and her sax playing friend Steve, Jo Brand, Angela Barnes, Susan Calman, Arthur Smith, Jo Caulfield and Porky the poet aka Phill Jupitus. Hard to pick any one above the others, for all were superb, but the one joke that remained with me afterwards came from Ms Brand, and I was very impressed with Angela Barnes' set.
This concert was a one-off event in aid of the charity Target Ovarian Cancer.
Fred MacAulay was MC for the night and did his usual professional job. With such a starry lineup to introduce it would have been hard to go wrong. For two hours we were entertained by Bridget Christie, Mark Thomas, Liz Lochead and her sax playing friend Steve, Jo Brand, Angela Barnes, Susan Calman, Arthur Smith, Jo Caulfield and Porky the poet aka Phill Jupitus. Hard to pick any one above the others, for all were superb, but the one joke that remained with me afterwards came from Ms Brand, and I was very impressed with Angela Barnes' set.
This concert was a one-off event in aid of the charity Target Ovarian Cancer.
Paul Merton's Impro Chums, Pleasance, Edinburgh Fringe
If you remember the TV programme 'Whose Line Is It Anyway?' you'll already know the format of this show. Short sketches, improvised by a group of performers and based on suggestions from the audience. Some of these came from bits of paper we'd completed in the queue, others were shout-outs when requested.
Merton was joined by Richard Vranch, Suki Webster, Lee Simpson and American Mike McShame, with Vranch adding a bit of mood music from time to time. Everything moves along at a good pace, there is a wide variety of formats to keep interest alive, and all the performers show great imagination. They ended the hour with the lesser know Shakespeare play, Twelfth Shite, which managed to become something much more entertaining than the title suggested.
There's a fascination in watching something being created out of nothing, and the on stage chemistry that allows it to happen. And also to occasionally watch the faces of the performers who aren't involved at a given moment, to see which lines make them laugh, which is a good indicator that it's something they haven't heard before or at least not in that context. Simpson stood out on the day as the best of the (excellent) bunch with some lovely little characterisations and general silliness.
A worthwhile hour.
Paul Merton's Impro Chums is on at the Pleasance at 16.00 until the 22nd, but looks to be sold out.
Merton was joined by Richard Vranch, Suki Webster, Lee Simpson and American Mike McShame, with Vranch adding a bit of mood music from time to time. Everything moves along at a good pace, there is a wide variety of formats to keep interest alive, and all the performers show great imagination. They ended the hour with the lesser know Shakespeare play, Twelfth Shite, which managed to become something much more entertaining than the title suggested.
There's a fascination in watching something being created out of nothing, and the on stage chemistry that allows it to happen. And also to occasionally watch the faces of the performers who aren't involved at a given moment, to see which lines make them laugh, which is a good indicator that it's something they haven't heard before or at least not in that context. Simpson stood out on the day as the best of the (excellent) bunch with some lovely little characterisations and general silliness.
A worthwhile hour.
Paul Merton's Impro Chums is on at the Pleasance at 16.00 until the 22nd, but looks to be sold out.
Relatively Normal, Opium, Edinburgh Fringe
A Free Fringe stand up show which advertised a variety of comedians being funny about family, and hosted by Aaron Levene. There was a small audience gathered, fewer than twenty, but as Steve Bennett proved a few days ago this needn't be a barrier to pitting on a very funny show. So what went to wrong?
The MC at this kind of show doesn't have to be outstandingly funny himself, although that helps, but they do have to perform two basic functions - get some energy into the audience as a prelude to introducing each act, and make sure the punters know who it is they're about to see. Levene failed on both counts - or all three if you include the 'being funny' bit. There's also one thing he must not do above all else - never blame the audience if things aren't going well. Guess what....
Aaron suggested he looked a bit like Uncle Fester. Sadly he lacks any of the sense of fun associated with the Addams Family. His material included jokes about the holocaust and cancer then, when we didn't laugh, told us he was being 'too dark' for us. Rather than drawing the obvious conclusion - he simply wasn't funny.
The first act was Barry Ferns, who had a tough job on his hands to lift the mood the MC had so effectively killed off. He did his best, and eventually resorted to a bit of musical audience participation, which succeeded in raising spirits and getting some enthusiasm on the go. Then he went off, Levene came on, and the clouds descended once more. It was impossible not to wonder how much better this show might have been had Ferns been the MC....
The next act was a woman whose name was mumbled so I've no idea who she was, and have no real wish to. She did nothing to improve matters. Number three was Andy Harland who showed flashes of potential, but didn't appear to have the experience to deal with a dispirited bunch who were wondering what they would have to put up with next. Finally an Australian called Craig mumbled-surname who, like Ferns, did his best to salvage what he could and had some decent lines. And came close to implying it was all our fault....
There should have been a fifth act, but they didn't bother turning up. Maybe they knew something.
Best avoided.
Relatively Normal is on in Opium at 13.45 until the 29th.
The MC at this kind of show doesn't have to be outstandingly funny himself, although that helps, but they do have to perform two basic functions - get some energy into the audience as a prelude to introducing each act, and make sure the punters know who it is they're about to see. Levene failed on both counts - or all three if you include the 'being funny' bit. There's also one thing he must not do above all else - never blame the audience if things aren't going well. Guess what....
Aaron suggested he looked a bit like Uncle Fester. Sadly he lacks any of the sense of fun associated with the Addams Family. His material included jokes about the holocaust and cancer then, when we didn't laugh, told us he was being 'too dark' for us. Rather than drawing the obvious conclusion - he simply wasn't funny.
The first act was Barry Ferns, who had a tough job on his hands to lift the mood the MC had so effectively killed off. He did his best, and eventually resorted to a bit of musical audience participation, which succeeded in raising spirits and getting some enthusiasm on the go. Then he went off, Levene came on, and the clouds descended once more. It was impossible not to wonder how much better this show might have been had Ferns been the MC....
The next act was a woman whose name was mumbled so I've no idea who she was, and have no real wish to. She did nothing to improve matters. Number three was Andy Harland who showed flashes of potential, but didn't appear to have the experience to deal with a dispirited bunch who were wondering what they would have to put up with next. Finally an Australian called Craig mumbled-surname who, like Ferns, did his best to salvage what he could and had some decent lines. And came close to implying it was all our fault....
There should have been a fifth act, but they didn't bother turning up. Maybe they knew something.
Best avoided.
Relatively Normal is on in Opium at 13.45 until the 29th.
Jason Byrne : 20 Years a Clown, Assembly Hall, Edinburgh Fringe
Byrne specialises in foolishness, both his own and that of others, and brings his own brand of silliness to the stage. He's great at interacting with the audience, and is well able to keep the more awkward interjectors in their place. There's no overarching theme to this show, but the structure flows well and he moves seamlessly from one topic to another. Jason is an instantly likeable character who brings a smile to the face through his antics.
And yet. I found this a curiously flat experience. Byrne has an annoying habit of laughing inanely at his own jokes in a way that disrupts his own stories. Some of the section about his wife seemed too rooted in the past. And the physical comedy when he brought two members of the audience on stage to 'punish' him felt unnecessarily puerile.
Maybe it was just me. There were plenty of people laughing uproariously, so maybe I was just missing out on the joke? Because to me this was just a bit of clowning, with little more that that on show, and lacking any real laugh-out-loud moments. All surface and no substance.
Jason Byrne : 20 Years a Clown is on in the Assembly Hall at 21.00 until the 30th.
And yet. I found this a curiously flat experience. Byrne has an annoying habit of laughing inanely at his own jokes in a way that disrupts his own stories. Some of the section about his wife seemed too rooted in the past. And the physical comedy when he brought two members of the audience on stage to 'punish' him felt unnecessarily puerile.
Maybe it was just me. There were plenty of people laughing uproariously, so maybe I was just missing out on the joke? Because to me this was just a bit of clowning, with little more that that on show, and lacking any real laugh-out-loud moments. All surface and no substance.
Jason Byrne : 20 Years a Clown is on in the Assembly Hall at 21.00 until the 30th.
Mark Thomas : Trespass - Work in Progress, Summerhall, Edinburgh Fringe
The fastest hour on the Fringe? It was hard to believe that sixty minutes had passed by the time Thomas, still bubbling with energy, leapt down from the stage and exited.
What we'd just seen was frightening (in terms of the changes taking place in our society), inspiring (at seeing how even minor actions can contribute to fighting back against the destructions of our freedoms), and, above all, very, very funny. Mark has been looking at the myriad small restrictions being place on UK citizens by the power of the big corporations and indentifying actions which will both highlight the injustices and kick off the process of reversing the damage.
This show is about some of these actions, and how they will evolve in the future. In London and Oxford Thomas and his friends have indulged in harmless activities - handing out cake, performance art, walking - that challenge the rules that big money want enforced. Using a few illustrative photos on the overhead screen, but primarily through the power of his own dramatic narration, Mark brings to life these entirely legal, but often ludicrously surreal, actions. And the enthusiasm of the public to join in. Plus ongoing legal challenges....
It's enthralling, engaging, entertaining and easily my personal favourite of the thirty plus shows I've seen this Fringe. You should go (if only to see an Aardman character being treated in a way that you won't forget!).
Mark Thomas : Trespass - Work in Progress is on in Summerhall at 17.00 until the 30th.
What we'd just seen was frightening (in terms of the changes taking place in our society), inspiring (at seeing how even minor actions can contribute to fighting back against the destructions of our freedoms), and, above all, very, very funny. Mark has been looking at the myriad small restrictions being place on UK citizens by the power of the big corporations and indentifying actions which will both highlight the injustices and kick off the process of reversing the damage.
This show is about some of these actions, and how they will evolve in the future. In London and Oxford Thomas and his friends have indulged in harmless activities - handing out cake, performance art, walking - that challenge the rules that big money want enforced. Using a few illustrative photos on the overhead screen, but primarily through the power of his own dramatic narration, Mark brings to life these entirely legal, but often ludicrously surreal, actions. And the enthusiasm of the public to join in. Plus ongoing legal challenges....
It's enthralling, engaging, entertaining and easily my personal favourite of the thirty plus shows I've seen this Fringe. You should go (if only to see an Aardman character being treated in a way that you won't forget!).
Mark Thomas : Trespass - Work in Progress is on in Summerhall at 17.00 until the 30th.
Loose Ends, BBC Potterrow, Edinburgh Fringe
A recording of the Radio 4 show which will be broadcast next Saturday, the 22nd August.
Hosted by Clive Anderson, assisted by Arthur Smith, the show featured conversations with French actor Juliette Binoche, Irish novelist Eimear McBride, Scottish playwright Davie Greig and local chef Tony Singh. Plus music from Katherine Joseph and R M Hubbard.
All the interviewees are, of course, involved in their various ways in the madness of culture that is Edinburgh in August. Binoche is starring in Antigone, McBride's novel A Girl is a Half-formed Thing is present as a stage adaptation, Greig has his stage version of the great Alisdair Gray's incredible novel Lanark, and Singh has a pop up restaurant in the Grassmarket.
All have something of interest to relate, especially Greig on the challenges of bringing to life a work that would seem impossible to recreate in 3D. Smith makes a few interjections, which mostly ended up being annoying - the audience were discernibly annoyed at his butting in on Binoche.
But overall it's worth a listen, and Hubbard is someone I now want to hear more of.
This was a one-off event in the BBC Big Blue Tent.
Tuesday 18 August 2015
Beardyman : One Album Per Hour, Pleasance, Edinburgh Fringe
One man, one guitar, a plethora of screens and keyboards. And a beard.
On the way in the audience are asked to write down potential song titles which could make their way on to the album that's to be created in the show. After a few weak jokes Beardyman launches himself into the music making, picking random suggestions from a hat, reading them out and choosing those that give him an idea he can use. And then developing a unique song or tune deriving from the words provided, in a different genre each time.
Tonight we got techno, jazz, heavy metal, soul, Cuban, a Xmas song and a bit of song and dance. Given the equipment being employed, and short creative timescales (!) there is a certain amount of repetitiveness to this process, but he managed to give every number it's own character. His mastery of the technology is incredible, accompanied by great speed of thought as he comes up with ideas on the fly. But there are times when it's obvious that he also has a fair degree of real musical talent, such as the jazz keyboard solo, and, better still, an excellent singing voice. There's a danger that talent goes unnoticed amongst the general cleverness of the act, but his vocals are not only note perfect, but demonstrate a huge variation in tone and range. I could have sworn there was a bit of Aretha Franklin on the soul number. Best of all, for me, was his beatboxing rendition of Fred Astaire's tap dancing - a laugh out loud moment.
More impressive than genuinely entertaining.
This was Beardyman's final performance at Fringe 2015.
On the way in the audience are asked to write down potential song titles which could make their way on to the album that's to be created in the show. After a few weak jokes Beardyman launches himself into the music making, picking random suggestions from a hat, reading them out and choosing those that give him an idea he can use. And then developing a unique song or tune deriving from the words provided, in a different genre each time.
Tonight we got techno, jazz, heavy metal, soul, Cuban, a Xmas song and a bit of song and dance. Given the equipment being employed, and short creative timescales (!) there is a certain amount of repetitiveness to this process, but he managed to give every number it's own character. His mastery of the technology is incredible, accompanied by great speed of thought as he comes up with ideas on the fly. But there are times when it's obvious that he also has a fair degree of real musical talent, such as the jazz keyboard solo, and, better still, an excellent singing voice. There's a danger that talent goes unnoticed amongst the general cleverness of the act, but his vocals are not only note perfect, but demonstrate a huge variation in tone and range. I could have sworn there was a bit of Aretha Franklin on the soul number. Best of all, for me, was his beatboxing rendition of Fred Astaire's tap dancing - a laugh out loud moment.
More impressive than genuinely entertaining.
This was Beardyman's final performance at Fringe 2015.
Monday 17 August 2015
Radio 4 Extra Stands Up with Fred MacAulay, BBC Potterrow, Edinburgh Fringe
A late night stand up show in the BBC Tent, which will be edited for radio output at some point in the future. MacAulay is an established name on Radio 4, weel kent in Scotland, and a naturally affable host for a show of this nature. His opening set and linking between acts was always competent, although I've seen him on better form in the past.
There were nine acts all told, with a good mix of styles and nationalities. It opened with Jeff Green, once a regular on British TV screens, whose style doesn't seem to have evolved and felt a bit too rooted in the seventies. Dane Baptiste brought a more modern approach, a dry wit and good stuff looking at charities. Then we had Glasgow boy Larry Dean, who proved to be one of the highlights of the night. Very funny about being gay, how Scots act in London and a decent couple of minutes on the idiocies of ukip.
Next up was American transgender comedian, previously well known as Will Franken, now appearing as Sarah F. Simply brilliant impressions and character comedy, Franken dazzles with the speed of her transitions from one voice to another and the dialogues she creates. She was followed by local absurdist Eleanor Morton who specialises in social awkwardness. I enjoyed her set, but it felt like a lot of the audience didn't really 'get' her.
If Morton split the room the same could be said for Canadian Glen Wool. Loud, energetic, at times creepy, he is edgy and imaginative. His evidence that emails to family members should be carefully proof read was beautifully constructed and laugh out loud funny. I loved him. Then, from Northern Ireland, Elaine Malcolmson who, in contrast to the in-your-face Wool is something of a slow burner. Soft of voice with a dead pan delivery, she had some wonderful examples of the absurdity to be found in the mundane.
Rounding out the night were two more familiar names. Hal Cruttenden is a comedian who's never appealed to me on TV, but live it was impossible not to be impressed by his comic timing. Very funny on the subject of hypocrisy. Finally, Mick Ferry, an accomplished club comic who can deliver the belly laughs and draw in his audience.
The live show lasted well over 100 minutes. How much of that, and who, makes it on to the broadcast will be interesting to listen out for. There were certainly a few moments that won't be considered broadcastable (something tells me Glen Wool won't be making the cut!).
A good way to see a variety of comedians you might not otherwise have the time to see, and discover some you want to see more of in future.
This was a one-off event in the BBC Big Blue Tent.
There were nine acts all told, with a good mix of styles and nationalities. It opened with Jeff Green, once a regular on British TV screens, whose style doesn't seem to have evolved and felt a bit too rooted in the seventies. Dane Baptiste brought a more modern approach, a dry wit and good stuff looking at charities. Then we had Glasgow boy Larry Dean, who proved to be one of the highlights of the night. Very funny about being gay, how Scots act in London and a decent couple of minutes on the idiocies of ukip.
Next up was American transgender comedian, previously well known as Will Franken, now appearing as Sarah F. Simply brilliant impressions and character comedy, Franken dazzles with the speed of her transitions from one voice to another and the dialogues she creates. She was followed by local absurdist Eleanor Morton who specialises in social awkwardness. I enjoyed her set, but it felt like a lot of the audience didn't really 'get' her.
If Morton split the room the same could be said for Canadian Glen Wool. Loud, energetic, at times creepy, he is edgy and imaginative. His evidence that emails to family members should be carefully proof read was beautifully constructed and laugh out loud funny. I loved him. Then, from Northern Ireland, Elaine Malcolmson who, in contrast to the in-your-face Wool is something of a slow burner. Soft of voice with a dead pan delivery, she had some wonderful examples of the absurdity to be found in the mundane.
Rounding out the night were two more familiar names. Hal Cruttenden is a comedian who's never appealed to me on TV, but live it was impossible not to be impressed by his comic timing. Very funny on the subject of hypocrisy. Finally, Mick Ferry, an accomplished club comic who can deliver the belly laughs and draw in his audience.
The live show lasted well over 100 minutes. How much of that, and who, makes it on to the broadcast will be interesting to listen out for. There were certainly a few moments that won't be considered broadcastable (something tells me Glen Wool won't be making the cut!).
A good way to see a variety of comedians you might not otherwise have the time to see, and discover some you want to see more of in future.
This was a one-off event in the BBC Big Blue Tent.
Mark Steel, Assembly George Square, Edinburgh Fringe
Steel tells the story of trying to trace his natural parents and the unexpected results of the resulting discoveries. Having always known that he was adopted he had no curiosity about his biological origins until his own son was born. Realising that his mother might well still wonder what had become of her child he begins his quest, albeit in a relatively unenthusiastic manner. It takes the best part of a decade to make real progress, but when he does the outcome easily rivals any of the revelations on the BBC's family-tracing programme. And that he almost had an Uncle Tiny.
The show is hilarious throughout, a mix of cynicism and humanity that never risks becoming overly sentimental. And there's certainly no flirting with any New Age bollocks about 'finding yourself'.
Regular fans of the man will be delighted to know that it's not all storytelling and he makes time for a few of his trademark political rants, and the show is all the better for that. And he can ad lib with the best of them, as the audience members who walked out found out. (I'm curious to know, if they had another show to go to, what could possibly be so much better than this one?)
A fascinating real world story, sound politics and truly great comedy. What's not to like?
Mark Steel : Who Do I Think I Am?, is on in Assembly Studio Two, George Square, at 20.15 until the 30th.
The show is hilarious throughout, a mix of cynicism and humanity that never risks becoming overly sentimental. And there's certainly no flirting with any New Age bollocks about 'finding yourself'.
Regular fans of the man will be delighted to know that it's not all storytelling and he makes time for a few of his trademark political rants, and the show is all the better for that. And he can ad lib with the best of them, as the audience members who walked out found out. (I'm curious to know, if they had another show to go to, what could possibly be so much better than this one?)
A fascinating real world story, sound politics and truly great comedy. What's not to like?
Mark Steel : Who Do I Think I Am?, is on in Assembly Studio Two, George Square, at 20.15 until the 30th.
Sarah Kendall, Assembly George Square, Edinburgh Fringe
Kendall went to a crappy school in a crappy small town in Australia. Her show takes the events of one teenage day in October 1990 and weaves them into a story that is captivating, enriching and very, very funny. The tale takes in bullying, friendship, betrayal, magic and some very strange dreams.
The story is extremely well constructed, with recurring motifs, themes and a series of highs and lows. Sarah is very likeable, consistently funny and throws in a few lovely moments of physical comedy. But she is also able to engage the audience emotionally at times and bring to life a past that can occasionally turn uncomfortable.
A wonderful way to spend an hour - despite the heat in that room!
Sarah Kendall : A Day in October is on in Assembly Studio Five, George Square, at 18.45 until the 31st.
The story is extremely well constructed, with recurring motifs, themes and a series of highs and lows. Sarah is very likeable, consistently funny and throws in a few lovely moments of physical comedy. But she is also able to engage the audience emotionally at times and bring to life a past that can occasionally turn uncomfortable.
A wonderful way to spend an hour - despite the heat in that room!
Sarah Kendall : A Day in October is on in Assembly Studio Five, George Square, at 18.45 until the 31st.
Saturday 15 August 2015
Barluath, Acoustic Music Centre, Edinburgh Fringe
It's OK to fall in love with a voice, yeah?
A young Scottish folk band, Barluath have been around for five years and recently released their second album. Tonight's line up featured keyboard, guitar, fiddle, whistle and bagpipes (both the semi-skimmed Lowland variety and the full-fat Highland pipes), and lead vocal. I say "tonight's" because they are normally a six-strong outfit, but there were only four regulars playing, the substitute keyboard player having to play off the page.
The musicianship is excellent, with some particularly impressive guitar work, and a rousing quality once those pipes get going. There's nothing wrong with the arrangements, but nor did they offer anything really innovative. (That may be a harsh judgement, given the restricted line up I was seeing, and I hope to get a chance to write a further review later this year.) What marks this band out as special is the astonishing voice of Ainsley Hamill. A slight figure on stage, the gutsiness of the voice comes as a surprise at first. Like a cross between Julie Fowlis and Sally Barker, she brings a bluesy quality to the Gaelic numbers that gives them a very contemporary feel.
The band interact well with their audience, giving explanations of the origins of songs and tunes, and encouraging people to sing the choruses or coming down for a dance. And there was a good mix of tempos, of old and new material, of well worn classics and the unfamiliar. That hour passed very quickly.
There was a new CD in my pocket as I walked away. That voice sold it....
Barluath were performing for one night only.
A young Scottish folk band, Barluath have been around for five years and recently released their second album. Tonight's line up featured keyboard, guitar, fiddle, whistle and bagpipes (both the semi-skimmed Lowland variety and the full-fat Highland pipes), and lead vocal. I say "tonight's" because they are normally a six-strong outfit, but there were only four regulars playing, the substitute keyboard player having to play off the page.
The musicianship is excellent, with some particularly impressive guitar work, and a rousing quality once those pipes get going. There's nothing wrong with the arrangements, but nor did they offer anything really innovative. (That may be a harsh judgement, given the restricted line up I was seeing, and I hope to get a chance to write a further review later this year.) What marks this band out as special is the astonishing voice of Ainsley Hamill. A slight figure on stage, the gutsiness of the voice comes as a surprise at first. Like a cross between Julie Fowlis and Sally Barker, she brings a bluesy quality to the Gaelic numbers that gives them a very contemporary feel.
The band interact well with their audience, giving explanations of the origins of songs and tunes, and encouraging people to sing the choruses or coming down for a dance. And there was a good mix of tempos, of old and new material, of well worn classics and the unfamiliar. That hour passed very quickly.
There was a new CD in my pocket as I walked away. That voice sold it....
Barluath were performing for one night only.
Kate Smurthwaite : The Wrong Sort of Feminist, Ciao Roma, Edinburgh Fringe
Earlier this year Smurthwaite had a show, ironically on the subject of free speech, cancelled by the organising body at Goldsmiths University. Her new show takes that event as a starting point and turns it into what Kate does best - having a rant at the injustices and inherent contradictions of our society.
We get feminism, Islamophobia, burquas, mansplaining, choice, death threats and a cross dressing boyfriend. Having earned a place as one of the people TV producers turn to when they feel the need for a 'lefty feminist' on their panel Kate has some good stories about the more extreme views of audience members and the general out-of-touch idiocy of a Colonel Blimp type of Tory MP. All in her usual articulate, passionate, intelligent and edge-of-controversy style.
There are slides illustrating her points, which could be a bit hard to see at times, but also provided some laughs of their own. And a section where she asks the audience to deliver the punchlines that doesn't quite work - I'd rather she'd let the rant (about detention camps for asylum seekers) have it's head and go for a laugh at the end of what was quite a moving and disturbing litany of horrors.
But there are still plenty of laughs to compensate, as well as a bit of intellectual nourishment. The subject's serious, the results are funny, this is a very enjoyable show.
Kate Smurthwaite : The Wrong Sort of Feminist is in Ciao Roma at 20.20 until the 29th.
We get feminism, Islamophobia, burquas, mansplaining, choice, death threats and a cross dressing boyfriend. Having earned a place as one of the people TV producers turn to when they feel the need for a 'lefty feminist' on their panel Kate has some good stories about the more extreme views of audience members and the general out-of-touch idiocy of a Colonel Blimp type of Tory MP. All in her usual articulate, passionate, intelligent and edge-of-controversy style.
There are slides illustrating her points, which could be a bit hard to see at times, but also provided some laughs of their own. And a section where she asks the audience to deliver the punchlines that doesn't quite work - I'd rather she'd let the rant (about detention camps for asylum seekers) have it's head and go for a laugh at the end of what was quite a moving and disturbing litany of horrors.
But there are still plenty of laughs to compensate, as well as a bit of intellectual nourishment. The subject's serious, the results are funny, this is a very enjoyable show.
Kate Smurthwaite : The Wrong Sort of Feminist is in Ciao Roma at 20.20 until the 29th.
Aidan Goatley : Year of the Goat, Ciao Roma, Edinburgh Fringe
Dear Advertising Standards Authority, I feel compelled to write to complain about last night's show, Year of the Goat. As a committed horned mammal enthusiast I was disgusted that there wasn't a single mention of a Billy, a Nanny, or even a Kid. All I did get was a lot of laughs. Is this really fair?
Goatley provides proper stand up, just one man, a mike and a series of stories building up to decent punchlines. He mocks his own less-than-macho persona, tells tales of his family and working life and is great talking about the weird customers he had to deal with in the pet store where he used to work. There's a good story about seeing his wife drunk for the first time, and an intriguing revelation about his own body's lack of something important.
Aidan is from Brighton and, in line with the image that conveys, his comedy is inclusive and rarely offensive, albeit with an angry edge on occasions. He does do a bit of audience interaction, but won't embarrass anyone. The audience were laughing from the start and Goatley fed off that energy to give an excellent performance.
If only it had been a bit more goatey....
Highly recommended.
Aidan Goatley : Year of the Goat is on in Ciao Roma at 19.05 until the 29th.
Goatley provides proper stand up, just one man, a mike and a series of stories building up to decent punchlines. He mocks his own less-than-macho persona, tells tales of his family and working life and is great talking about the weird customers he had to deal with in the pet store where he used to work. There's a good story about seeing his wife drunk for the first time, and an intriguing revelation about his own body's lack of something important.
Aidan is from Brighton and, in line with the image that conveys, his comedy is inclusive and rarely offensive, albeit with an angry edge on occasions. He does do a bit of audience interaction, but won't embarrass anyone. The audience were laughing from the start and Goatley fed off that energy to give an excellent performance.
If only it had been a bit more goatey....
Highly recommended.
Aidan Goatley : Year of the Goat is on in Ciao Roma at 19.05 until the 29th.
Behind the Scenes with Gary : Tank Commander, BBC Potterrow, Edinburgh Fringe
A BBC Scotland sitcom which ran for three series between 2009 and 2012, Gary has become something of a cult classic. Corporal Gary McLintock and his three mates have been on duty in Iraq, and later Afghanistan, and the show mostly looks at their lives, professional and personal, back in Scotland. McLintock is portayed as mildly camp, a bit dim and easily fooled. The programme features video footage of the guys fooling around, recreating pop videos in their overseas camps, and stream of consciousness monologues from Gary in which he doles out his 'wisdom' to the world.
Today Sanjeev Kohli was there to interview Greg McHugh, who created the character, wrote the show and starred as the eponymous hero, and Leah MacRae who is cast as Julie, the scatter brained sister of one of the group. We got a few clips from the show, to remind us of just how funny it could be, and a talk through how the character came in to being and the genesis of the show.
From a short piece of character based stand up, through a series of sketches and then TV pilots, it took four or five years from his starting point before the first series emerged. By then McHugh had a good idea of what did and didn't work and what he needed to make his ideas reality. It was also obvious that the real life Leah was a strong inspiration for the character of Julie!
Kohli kept the story flowing and contributed his own humour. McHugh was a superb interviewee and his frequent switches into the character of Gary were a delightful reminder of what an excellent actor he is. We were accompanied by two people who had never seen the show before, just a few clips, and they had no difficulty in finding as much enjoyment as the ture fans in the audience. A very funny and very interesting way to pass an hour.
This was a one-off event in the BBC Big Blue Tent.
Curious Edinburgh.... with John Lloyd, BBC Potterrow, Edinburgh Fringe
Billed as John Lloyd, a man with connections to so many of the great moments from the last thirty years of BBC comedy, introducing some of the more unusual acts on the Fringe. When we saw this last year it lived up to the name and there were some genuine oddities in the line up. It even prompted us to go and see one of those appearing. So this event proved a little disappointing as the acts were all fairly conventional stand ups.
Lloyd, didn't do a lot of the introducing himself, leaving it to his sidekick Dan Schreiber, a QI 'elf'. Which was no problem as Schrieber is an engaging host and funny man in his own right. First out of the four comedians was Lieven Scheire who was mostly unusual for being a Belgian, a rare sight on the Fringe. A very funny man, he promises his act will not only make you laugh, but provide some understanding the Special Relativity - Scheire is a scientist by trade so the show sounded as if could live up to the pledge.
He was followed by Alex Edelman, a Jewish New Yorker who produced the laughs, but is very much in the tradition of Jewish New York comedians. And Nick Kumar, who I really do enjoy, with his brand of political humour. Again, very easy to enjoy, and he hits some good targets, even in a ten minute set. But 'curious'? Not really.
The final comic on stage was Felicity Ward, whose act deals with her own history of physical and mental illness and how that alters her relationship with the world around her. It's brave and personal stand up, and would be an interesting show to see. But, like those above, easy to slot into a recognised genre.
Funny, enjoyable, and I'd happily go again. But I'd looking for a bit more of an oddity to be on show.
This was a one-off event in the BBC Big Blue Tent.
Lloyd, didn't do a lot of the introducing himself, leaving it to his sidekick Dan Schreiber, a QI 'elf'. Which was no problem as Schrieber is an engaging host and funny man in his own right. First out of the four comedians was Lieven Scheire who was mostly unusual for being a Belgian, a rare sight on the Fringe. A very funny man, he promises his act will not only make you laugh, but provide some understanding the Special Relativity - Scheire is a scientist by trade so the show sounded as if could live up to the pledge.
He was followed by Alex Edelman, a Jewish New Yorker who produced the laughs, but is very much in the tradition of Jewish New York comedians. And Nick Kumar, who I really do enjoy, with his brand of political humour. Again, very easy to enjoy, and he hits some good targets, even in a ten minute set. But 'curious'? Not really.
The final comic on stage was Felicity Ward, whose act deals with her own history of physical and mental illness and how that alters her relationship with the world around her. It's brave and personal stand up, and would be an interesting show to see. But, like those above, easy to slot into a recognised genre.
Funny, enjoyable, and I'd happily go again. But I'd looking for a bit more of an oddity to be on show.
This was a one-off event in the BBC Big Blue Tent.
Friday 14 August 2015
The Bevvy Sisters, Summerhall, Edinburgh Fringe
A very different event from my last review of the band. Period costumes, a party atmosphere and a full backing band made for a much noisier, rockier affair. The eclectic choice music remains much as it was, with songs from the thirties and forties, a mix of jazz, blues, soul and a dash of country. With this line up the subtleties of the voices, the richness of the harmonies, was lost a little, but did make more for the party feel they were going for. Drums bass and keyboard added the punch, with saxophone enhancing the jazz feel, and a couple of gorgeous flute solos.
The gig was a bit shambolic organisationally, which isn't a real problem, but jars when you've become used to the slickness of most Fringe venues. Things may improve during the remaining shows. This reviewer had to leave early, due to a minor health problem, but would loved to have stayed for the music is infectious and there were plenty of people dancing the night away. Great fun.
The Bevvy Sisters are at Summerhall at 21.00 on the 20th and 27th.
The gig was a bit shambolic organisationally, which isn't a real problem, but jars when you've become used to the slickness of most Fringe venues. Things may improve during the remaining shows. This reviewer had to leave early, due to a minor health problem, but would loved to have stayed for the music is infectious and there were plenty of people dancing the night away. Great fun.
The Bevvy Sisters are at Summerhall at 21.00 on the 20th and 27th.
Phill Jupitus - Sketch Comic : In Conversation, National Gallery, Edinburgh Fringe
For three weeks of the Fringe Phill J turns up at one of the cities major art galleries, selects a painting he fancies having a go at, and sit for two hours with his tablet and painting app to see what he can do to recreate the image. During this first week he's been in the National Gallery, will move on to the Portrait Gallery, and end his sojourn going out to the Gallery of Modern Art. On the seventh day of each week he is appearing in the lecture hall of the National, where he and a guest have a chat about aspects of art, then the guest is invited to comment on his efforts that week, in comparison to the originals they were based on.
Today's guest was Frances Fowle, one of the National Gallery's curators, so Phill naturally directed the conversation towards the work involved in curating a major exhibition (she was responsible for the American Impressionists last year). Fowle is a good speaker, can be quite amusing, so proved a good choice, and the audience were both informed and entertained.
She was also very kindly about the Jupitus attempts to recreate some of the images on the walls above us, and uncomfortable with being asked to give him marks out of 10! (I suspect next week's speaker may not be so reticent.) With only two hours, effectively finger drawing on to a piece of glass, the comedian isn't going to turn out any masterpieces. But his opening piece, a group of dancers by Degas, was very impressive, and he had the lines of the figures quite beautifully. But there was no denying that the background wasn't just green, but GREEN.
With liberal doses of self deprecation Phill put up his other works, and the quality varied greatly. He'd admitted defeat on Scottish portrait of a lady, ending up with something that looked like the head of a zombie, but did a superb outline of the busy interior of the gallery during the nineteenth century. His head of John the Baptist, in which he chose to hone in on that feature of the famed Rubens work, was suitably ghoulish.
The experience is repeated next week when the guest will be the great Scottish artist and writer, John Byrne, and again seven days later with Stephen Frost (I'm guessing this is the comedian and actor of that name). Sadly I'm not going to be able to make it to either of these, and would love to hear from anyone who gets to see John Byrne (whilst allowing my jealousy to simmer quietly....). Jupitus is a marvellous host, picking up the mood when things flag and spurring on his guest to give up secrets of the world they inhabit. Worthwhile.
Phill Jupitus- Sketch Comic : In Conversation takes place in the Hawthornden Lecture Theatre of the National Gallery at 19.00 on the 20th and 27th.
Phill can be found creating his sketches between 10.00 and 12.00 in the Portrait Gallery from the 14th to the 20th, and in the Gallery of Modern Art between the 21st and 27th. He invites people to come along and join in with some sketching.
Today's guest was Frances Fowle, one of the National Gallery's curators, so Phill naturally directed the conversation towards the work involved in curating a major exhibition (she was responsible for the American Impressionists last year). Fowle is a good speaker, can be quite amusing, so proved a good choice, and the audience were both informed and entertained.
She was also very kindly about the Jupitus attempts to recreate some of the images on the walls above us, and uncomfortable with being asked to give him marks out of 10! (I suspect next week's speaker may not be so reticent.) With only two hours, effectively finger drawing on to a piece of glass, the comedian isn't going to turn out any masterpieces. But his opening piece, a group of dancers by Degas, was very impressive, and he had the lines of the figures quite beautifully. But there was no denying that the background wasn't just green, but GREEN.
With liberal doses of self deprecation Phill put up his other works, and the quality varied greatly. He'd admitted defeat on Scottish portrait of a lady, ending up with something that looked like the head of a zombie, but did a superb outline of the busy interior of the gallery during the nineteenth century. His head of John the Baptist, in which he chose to hone in on that feature of the famed Rubens work, was suitably ghoulish.
The experience is repeated next week when the guest will be the great Scottish artist and writer, John Byrne, and again seven days later with Stephen Frost (I'm guessing this is the comedian and actor of that name). Sadly I'm not going to be able to make it to either of these, and would love to hear from anyone who gets to see John Byrne (whilst allowing my jealousy to simmer quietly....). Jupitus is a marvellous host, picking up the mood when things flag and spurring on his guest to give up secrets of the world they inhabit. Worthwhile.
Phill Jupitus- Sketch Comic : In Conversation takes place in the Hawthornden Lecture Theatre of the National Gallery at 19.00 on the 20th and 27th.
Phill can be found creating his sketches between 10.00 and 12.00 in the Portrait Gallery from the 14th to the 20th, and in the Gallery of Modern Art between the 21st and 27th. He invites people to come along and join in with some sketching.
Wednesday 12 August 2015
Austentatious, Udderbelly, Edinburgh Fringe
Drawing a title from the pile of suggestions provided by the audience provided today's choice of lesser known Jane Austen novel, we were treated to the story of Little Boredom. The name announced, the cast of six, aided by some subtle mood music from their violin accompanist, create an hour long comic tale that's distantly related to the Austen world.
There may be no script, but the group have worked together for so long that they are clearly able to think as a team, using past experiences to build up new scenes. After a bit of hesitation in the first five minutes, as the major characters were delineated, the pace picked up and the story unfolded. Based on the notion that a French couple must be prevented from making a dull English town more interesting, the subsequent plot was ludicrous and far from Jane-like. And all the better for it, as many of the best laughs come when the storyline goes a bit awry and a way forward has to be created.
There were a few inspired moments - a line about mayonnaise got the biggest laugh of the show - and some lovely exchanges of dialogue. We got pebble counting, decadence, the scent of gold, a shipboard fight scene and a suitably romantic conclusion. Your mileage may vary.
What you will get is laughs and sense of fun. It's no surprise that the group seem to play a bigger venue with each successive year in Edinburgh and are becoming a Fringe institution.
Austentatious is on in Udderbelly, George Square at 13.15 until the 31st.
There may be no script, but the group have worked together for so long that they are clearly able to think as a team, using past experiences to build up new scenes. After a bit of hesitation in the first five minutes, as the major characters were delineated, the pace picked up and the story unfolded. Based on the notion that a French couple must be prevented from making a dull English town more interesting, the subsequent plot was ludicrous and far from Jane-like. And all the better for it, as many of the best laughs come when the storyline goes a bit awry and a way forward has to be created.
There were a few inspired moments - a line about mayonnaise got the biggest laugh of the show - and some lovely exchanges of dialogue. We got pebble counting, decadence, the scent of gold, a shipboard fight scene and a suitably romantic conclusion. Your mileage may vary.
What you will get is laughs and sense of fun. It's no surprise that the group seem to play a bigger venue with each successive year in Edinburgh and are becoming a Fringe institution.
Austentatious is on in Udderbelly, George Square at 13.15 until the 31st.
Mairearad and Anna, Acoustic Music Centre, Edinburgh Fringe
There's not much to add to the review of the duo I wrote back in April in considering their Edinburgh Fringe debut. The musicianship remains top class and the banjo/bagpipe combo an unexpected highlight of the set. This time around Massie handled all the lead vocals and did an excellent job delivering Dougie MacLeans emotional ballad She Loves Me.
Coming to this gig after seeing so many Fringe shows one thing stood out. Anna Massie is not just one of our greatest guitarists, she's also a natural comedian with lovely comic timing. And a lot funnier than some of stand ups on the Fringe....
Mairearad and Anna were performing for one night only.
Coming to this gig after seeing so many Fringe shows one thing stood out. Anna Massie is not just one of our greatest guitarists, she's also a natural comedian with lovely comic timing. And a lot funnier than some of stand ups on the Fringe....
Mairearad and Anna were performing for one night only.
What I Learned From Johnny Bevan
A one man play, much of it in verse, relating a coming of age tale. A description that sounds like it should have 'arty farty' written all over it. But Luke Wright delivers a performance that is intense and full on, complete with pathos and a lot of laughs. (And a superb three second Tony Blair impression.)
Wright is Nick, brought up in solid middle class circumstances, whose world view is challenged when he is befriended by the the eponymous Bevan at university. It's the nineties, and Luke strongly revives memories of the celebrations and mood of hope that came with the Labour victory of '97, and the subsequent let downs. Which in turn take the two friends on very different paths and highlight the inherent injustice in our socially divisive society.
Wright is a compelling performer with a strong feeling for the language he uses. It was a shame that, on occasions, the accompanying rock soundtrack was just a bit too loud and drowned him out, because he's not a man to waste words.
A rewarding hour and very much recommended.
What I Learned From Johnny Bevan is on at Summerhall at 16.55 until the 30th.
Wright is Nick, brought up in solid middle class circumstances, whose world view is challenged when he is befriended by the the eponymous Bevan at university. It's the nineties, and Luke strongly revives memories of the celebrations and mood of hope that came with the Labour victory of '97, and the subsequent let downs. Which in turn take the two friends on very different paths and highlight the inherent injustice in our socially divisive society.
Wright is a compelling performer with a strong feeling for the language he uses. It was a shame that, on occasions, the accompanying rock soundtrack was just a bit too loud and drowned him out, because he's not a man to waste words.
A rewarding hour and very much recommended.
What I Learned From Johnny Bevan is on at Summerhall at 16.55 until the 30th.
Stewart Lee, Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh Fringe
Stewart Lee is the anti-matter of stand up comedy. On the few occasions when he comes close to delivering a conventional observational punchline the illusion will be swiftly shattered by the deconstruction of the joke itself. And some derision for the audience that he might have laughed at it anyway.
Can any other comedian get away with what Lee does? He patronises, abuses and laughs at his audience, can't tell proper jokes, repeats himself, allows silences to stretch out and is self referential to the point of parody. He really only manages to do two of the things you'd expect from a proper comedian.
Firstly, he makes you think. Both about the subjects he's addressing, such as Islamophobia, and the nature of comedy itself.
Secondly, he makes you laugh. Endlessly. This show is laugh-out-loud funny from start to finish and draws in the audience in a way that makes you feel integral to the performance, in on the non-joke, and has you looking for sub text all over the place.
Genius.
Stewart Lee : A Room With a Stew is on in the Assembly Rooms at 14.15 until the 30th.
Can any other comedian get away with what Lee does? He patronises, abuses and laughs at his audience, can't tell proper jokes, repeats himself, allows silences to stretch out and is self referential to the point of parody. He really only manages to do two of the things you'd expect from a proper comedian.
Firstly, he makes you think. Both about the subjects he's addressing, such as Islamophobia, and the nature of comedy itself.
Secondly, he makes you laugh. Endlessly. This show is laugh-out-loud funny from start to finish and draws in the audience in a way that makes you feel integral to the performance, in on the non-joke, and has you looking for sub text all over the place.
Genius.
Stewart Lee : A Room With a Stew is on in the Assembly Rooms at 14.15 until the 30th.
Return of the Danish Bagpipe Comedian, Espionage, Edinburgh Fringe
Laughs, bagpipe music and a cute Danish accent. What's not to like?
We first saw Claus Reiss on his Fringe debut in 2013 and loved the show, so it was good to get the chance to go back and see if he was as funny as we remembered. Good news, he was, is, and will continue to be for the rest of August.
The act mixes jokes with audience interaction with bursts from the pipes. The latter being a bit more than traditional pipe tunes. Pop songs, recreations of street sounds and even a film star impersonation all pour from the Reiss chanter. His charm makes him excel at crowd involvement, bringing out some surprising reactions at times, and drawing everyone into the laughter. (More impressive still when you remember this is being done in a second language.) And there are a few bursts of playing which serve to remind why he's won awards at major piping competitions - behind the comic persona there's a very talented musician.
Very enjoyable lunchtime entertainment and definitely worth a look. He's a lovely guy too.
The Return of the Danish Bagpipe Comedian is on at Espionage at 12.15 until the 30th.
Ed Byrne, Gilded Balloon, Edinburgh Fringe
Persistently funny story telling from Byrne, engaging the audience from the off with tales from his own life and observations on the world around him. He's particularly good when he launches attacks on sexism, misogyny and gender stereotyping, pouring ridicule on those who remain wedded to outdated views. And, as a bonus, an enjoyable couple of minutes pointing up some the idiotic misapprehensions of ukip supporters.
There's no big theme to the show, just an unbroken stream of comedy that moves from rants to self deprecation to family tenderness. It's fun, the time flies by, even if there's no real stick of meaning there to grasp at.
If you love the kind of stand up that regularly features on Live at the Apollo then Ed is one of the finest exponents around. But do go and see something a bit more adventurous as well, eh?
Ed Byrne : Outside Looking In is in the Gilded Balloon at 21.00 until the 30th.
There's no big theme to the show, just an unbroken stream of comedy that moves from rants to self deprecation to family tenderness. It's fun, the time flies by, even if there's no real stick of meaning there to grasp at.
If you love the kind of stand up that regularly features on Live at the Apollo then Ed is one of the finest exponents around. But do go and see something a bit more adventurous as well, eh?
Ed Byrne : Outside Looking In is in the Gilded Balloon at 21.00 until the 30th.
Confessions of a Redheaded Coffeeshop Girl
Joanie is an anthropology graduate who has ended up working as a barista in her native Toronto whilst waiting for the career she dreams of. To make the day pass she exercises her academic skills on her colleagues and customers. This one woman show takes us through the days, the minor ups and downs of life, and the arrival of romance. Along the way there are songs, which fit well into the overall plot, and plenty opportunities for actor/writer Rebecca Perry to show off her ability to create a range of characters for us.
It's very well acted, there's a convincing story arc and the singing is often excellent. Yet I emerged feeling I'd seen neither a genuine emotional drama nor a comedy, but something that wasn't quite sure what it wanted to be. A strangely unsatisfying experience.
But I was impressed by the great piano accompaniment, not just to the songs, but in providing mood and atmosphere, much like a film score would.
Confessions is playing to full houses and strong reviews, so maybe I was the one missing out on something?
Confessions of a Redheaded Coffeeshop Girl is on at Gilded Balloon at 18.30 until the 31st.
It's very well acted, there's a convincing story arc and the singing is often excellent. Yet I emerged feeling I'd seen neither a genuine emotional drama nor a comedy, but something that wasn't quite sure what it wanted to be. A strangely unsatisfying experience.
But I was impressed by the great piano accompaniment, not just to the songs, but in providing mood and atmosphere, much like a film score would.
Confessions is playing to full houses and strong reviews, so maybe I was the one missing out on something?
Confessions of a Redheaded Coffeeshop Girl is on at Gilded Balloon at 18.30 until the 31st.
Hotel Paradiso, Pleasance, Edinburgh Fringe
If masked physical comedy doesn't sound that enticing then you probably haven't encountered Family Floez yet. The Berlin group have no need of words to convey meaning, nuance and emotion, and to provide a performance that remains consistently hilarious for seventy minutes. Live theatre with a dash of The Muppets about it.
Countless characters flow in and out of the lobby of a mountain hotel run by a dysfunctional family. Events steadily take a darker turn and one disaster follows another. This is not a hotel where you'd want to be a guest.
The actors deploy the full range of their physical acting skills to leave the audience in no doubt as to who's who and what's going on. There's plenty of expertly timed slapstick, a rather lovely bit of mime, and body language that leaves you in no doubt what everyone is thinking, despite the fixed expressions of the masks.
The biggest surprise comes right at the end when you find out just how few people managed to bring to life such a lengthy dramatis personae!
Highly recommended.
Hotel Paradiso is on in the Pleasance at 15.15 until the 31st.
Countless characters flow in and out of the lobby of a mountain hotel run by a dysfunctional family. Events steadily take a darker turn and one disaster follows another. This is not a hotel where you'd want to be a guest.
The actors deploy the full range of their physical acting skills to leave the audience in no doubt as to who's who and what's going on. There's plenty of expertly timed slapstick, a rather lovely bit of mime, and body language that leaves you in no doubt what everyone is thinking, despite the fixed expressions of the masks.
The biggest surprise comes right at the end when you find out just how few people managed to bring to life such a lengthy dramatis personae!
Highly recommended.
Hotel Paradiso is on in the Pleasance at 15.15 until the 31st.
Hannah and Hanna, Assembly George Square, Edinburgh Fringe
A beautifully played, two handed emotional drama, a coming of age tale that reminds us how much media disinformation leads to mistaken beliefs, and that the truth may well be hidden.
Hannah, a Margate sixteen year old, knows no better than to believe her elders when told that so many of the problems in the town are caused by the immigrants, the asylum seekers. Hanna, a Srebrenica sixteen year old, views Margate as the promised land, far from the brutal war she has fled with her family. But why do so many of the locals hate her and her people?
Events bring the two together and prejudice falls away in the face of reality. Their love of pop music, their sixteen-year-old-girlness, gives them a stronger bond than the bigots and fascists would have them believe. But can it be allowed to last in the midst of so much hatred?
A drama that dates back to the early noughties, but feels entirely contemporary when you substitute Kosovan with Syrian, and replace EDL with ukip. Some things haven't changed, and common humanity remains the answer to the far right's rhetoric.
Both actors shine and there is real emotional intensity in some scenes. I found myself close to tears, and totally involved in the fates of the protagonists.
Highly recommended.
Hannah and Hanna is on in Assembly George Square Studios at 13.20 until the 30th.
Hannah, a Margate sixteen year old, knows no better than to believe her elders when told that so many of the problems in the town are caused by the immigrants, the asylum seekers. Hanna, a Srebrenica sixteen year old, views Margate as the promised land, far from the brutal war she has fled with her family. But why do so many of the locals hate her and her people?
Events bring the two together and prejudice falls away in the face of reality. Their love of pop music, their sixteen-year-old-girlness, gives them a stronger bond than the bigots and fascists would have them believe. But can it be allowed to last in the midst of so much hatred?
A drama that dates back to the early noughties, but feels entirely contemporary when you substitute Kosovan with Syrian, and replace EDL with ukip. Some things haven't changed, and common humanity remains the answer to the far right's rhetoric.
Both actors shine and there is real emotional intensity in some scenes. I found myself close to tears, and totally involved in the fates of the protagonists.
Highly recommended.
Hannah and Hanna is on in Assembly George Square Studios at 13.20 until the 30th.
Sunday 9 August 2015
Sparrow-Folk : SuBIRDia, Gilded Balloon, Edinburgh Fringe
A ukulele playing double act from Australia invite you to their street party where they'll be singing all the songs. Fortunately they're pretty decent singers and can turn out some fairly amusing lyrics. The show is well rehearsed and the interplay between the two is strong.
While there are a few really good laughs along the way, and the finale was a proper high point to end on, the writing is both inconsistent and one dimensional. An hour of songs that are almost entirely about sex and sexual organs gets a bit dull after a while. With a sharper script they could be a great double act, but this show is a bit too flat for them to realise their potential.
Oh, and I think there was a bit of a striptease act on at one point. I missed that, as I was up on stage playing kazoo at the time....
Sparrow-Folk are on at the Gilded Balloon at 20.00 until the 30th.
While there are a few really good laughs along the way, and the finale was a proper high point to end on, the writing is both inconsistent and one dimensional. An hour of songs that are almost entirely about sex and sexual organs gets a bit dull after a while. With a sharper script they could be a great double act, but this show is a bit too flat for them to realise their potential.
Oh, and I think there was a bit of a striptease act on at one point. I missed that, as I was up on stage playing kazoo at the time....
Sparrow-Folk are on at the Gilded Balloon at 20.00 until the 30th.
Diane Spencer : Power Tool, Gilded Balloon, Edinburgh Fringe
Spencer relates the tale of how she and her partner set about buying a house, and the sorry state of the place they finally managed to afford. Requiring a considerable amount of DIY, the house also had a macabre secret to reveal. The story is well constructed and the gags keep coming along regularly. A few don't quite hit the spot, but the success rate is more than enough to keep the audience on her side.
Then her life, and the show, takes an upturn when she is commissioned to write a 2014 Fringe show for a celebrity she's never even heard of (neither had I). After an initial meeting there's a conscience wrestling moment where she has to decide whether to accept the compromises of working with someone so delusional, or accept that was where her career path needed to take her. Fortunately, both for her ability to buy some carpets and the joke rate for this show, she goes ahead with the project. The subsequent events and the misbegotten final product of the liaison are woven into a hilarious narrative that made the final half of this hour fly by.
Well worth a look.
Diane Spencer is on at the Gilded Balloon at 18.45 until the 31st.
Then her life, and the show, takes an upturn when she is commissioned to write a 2014 Fringe show for a celebrity she's never even heard of (neither had I). After an initial meeting there's a conscience wrestling moment where she has to decide whether to accept the compromises of working with someone so delusional, or accept that was where her career path needed to take her. Fortunately, both for her ability to buy some carpets and the joke rate for this show, she goes ahead with the project. The subsequent events and the misbegotten final product of the liaison are woven into a hilarious narrative that made the final half of this hour fly by.
Well worth a look.
Diane Spencer is on at the Gilded Balloon at 18.45 until the 31st.
Saturday 8 August 2015
Bruce Fummey : A History of Scotland, Stand in the Square, Edinburgh Fringe
Here's the self-proclaimed king of the Afro-Celtic comedy circuit delivering an hour on our country's story. He gives us a rapid fire tour of the last couple of millennia, touching on the origins of the Scots, the various ruling dynasties as the country took shape, how the Reformation played such an important role, and, you know, all that stuff. Right through until last year's IndyRef although, for reasons explained below, we missed out on the most recent events.
Which might all sound a bit dry, except that the history isn't always 100% accurate (although there are a few really interesting true snippets along the way), and there are far, far more jokes than facts. A lot of laughs are to be had from reconciling Scots' view of themselves with the reality.
I've been a fan of Fummey for a couple of years now and this show just confirms once again that he's one of the best comedians in Scotland, as well as one of the most political. As an unashamed advocate for independence Bruce wears his heart right out there and is all the better for the passion that brings to his words. Whether you agree with him or not Fummey's beliefs give his humour a convincing edge that others lack.
It's a shame the performance was so disrupted by a couple of less than sober characters on the front row who kept breaking in on Fummey's train of thought and meant we, the audience, ended up losing out on some of the script. Bruce did a good job in shutting them down and making them look foolish, but they weren't the sensitive types.....
On the plus side, the hecklers were from Fife, and, speaking as a Caps fan, it's always good to have your stereotypes confirmed.
Bruce Fummey is on The Stand in the Square at 17.40 until the 30th.
Which might all sound a bit dry, except that the history isn't always 100% accurate (although there are a few really interesting true snippets along the way), and there are far, far more jokes than facts. A lot of laughs are to be had from reconciling Scots' view of themselves with the reality.
I've been a fan of Fummey for a couple of years now and this show just confirms once again that he's one of the best comedians in Scotland, as well as one of the most political. As an unashamed advocate for independence Bruce wears his heart right out there and is all the better for the passion that brings to his words. Whether you agree with him or not Fummey's beliefs give his humour a convincing edge that others lack.
It's a shame the performance was so disrupted by a couple of less than sober characters on the front row who kept breaking in on Fummey's train of thought and meant we, the audience, ended up losing out on some of the script. Bruce did a good job in shutting them down and making them look foolish, but they weren't the sensitive types.....
On the plus side, the hecklers were from Fife, and, speaking as a Caps fan, it's always good to have your stereotypes confirmed.
Bruce Fummey is on The Stand in the Square at 17.40 until the 30th.
Abi Roberts : Downtown Abi, Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh Fringe
One of those titles that's more smart than relevant, but that's what you get when you have to create the name of your show before you've even thought of the jokes. Roberts is certainly energetic and launches herself physically into her act. She's engaging and keeps her crowd entertained, even involved on occasions. And she's not got a bad singing voice either.
Yet it's all feels just a bit too disjointed and if there's any theme it's in letting us know the kind of person her stage character is. Perhaps too much so, because by the time she comes to listing three things she's done she wouldn't want her mother to know, we already know too much for there to be any sense of shock or surprise.
If you go to this show for a good laugh you probably won't come away disappointed, but with that nagging feeling there was probably a better way to have spent your time.
Abi Roberts is on in The Voodoo Rooms at 16.15 until the 30th.
Yet it's all feels just a bit too disjointed and if there's any theme it's in letting us know the kind of person her stage character is. Perhaps too much so, because by the time she comes to listing three things she's done she wouldn't want her mother to know, we already know too much for there to be any sense of shock or surprise.
If you go to this show for a good laugh you probably won't come away disappointed, but with that nagging feeling there was probably a better way to have spent your time.
Abi Roberts is on in The Voodoo Rooms at 16.15 until the 30th.
Thursday 6 August 2015
George Egg : Anarchist Cook, Gilded Balloon, Edinburgh Fringe
Probably the best smelling comedy show on the Fringe. And one of the funniest.
Egg stays in hotels a lot, but doesn't have much time for hotel food. So he likes to cook for himself. Using just the cooking equipment to be found in the average Premier Inn. There's an iron, a kettle, a fridge, and maybe even the famous Corby Trouser Press. Using these as his starting point George developed cooking techniques which he has now turned into a show.
In one hour, before our very eyes, a three course meal is created, using the above implements to perform the cooking duties. Even a few of the ingredients are sourced from hotel supplies, including the vegetation.
I'm glad we got to sit in the front row, both to observe his culinary techniques, and get full benefit of some of the delicious aromas that resulted. It has to be seen, and smelt, to be believed. Egg manages to be very funny whilst he beavers away creatively, and delights in throwing in obscure references to see if anyone out there will pick them up. There's also some images on a screen to take in which are well worth following, with some great jokes in the cod French descriptions of the dishes.
At the end some members of the audience were despatched with the dishes produced and we all got a chance to try the odd mouthful. If you're planning to go along I won't spoil the surprise by giving away the menu, except to say that if you miss out on tasting the salsa verde you're a fool to yourself. It's fabulous.
George Egg is on at the Gilded Balloon at 14.45 until the 29th.
Groan Up - Steve Bennett, Finegan's Wake, Edinburgh Fringe
Who says Free Fringe comedy shows have to be rubbish? There are plenty out there to give the lie to that tale, and Irishman Steve Bennett is one of them.
Groan Up is Bennett explaining what has happened to him when he's tried to live life like a proper adult. And not always succeeding. The stories are funny, the delivery fast and friendly. Steve isn't one to badger his public, but he gets them involved. If there were a couple of minor stumbles in the continuity he always recovered swiftly and I could see those bugs will have gone in a a couple of days once he's fully into the swing of it.
There are songs too, accompanied, rather well, on the (usually) dreaded ukelele. It included the best, and shortest, song on religious disbelief I've heard, and plenty of chances for the audience to join in the choruses. There's something strangely liberating about being part of a crowd loudly singing out that we're all going to die.
A good fun way to fill a midday hour and worth fitting into your plans if you get the chance.
Groan Up is on in the back room of Finegan's Wake at 12.00 until the 29th. Bennett also has another show in the Free Sisters at 19.00, which I hope to review at a later date.
Groan Up is Bennett explaining what has happened to him when he's tried to live life like a proper adult. And not always succeeding. The stories are funny, the delivery fast and friendly. Steve isn't one to badger his public, but he gets them involved. If there were a couple of minor stumbles in the continuity he always recovered swiftly and I could see those bugs will have gone in a a couple of days once he's fully into the swing of it.
There are songs too, accompanied, rather well, on the (usually) dreaded ukelele. It included the best, and shortest, song on religious disbelief I've heard, and plenty of chances for the audience to join in the choruses. There's something strangely liberating about being part of a crowd loudly singing out that we're all going to die.
A good fun way to fill a midday hour and worth fitting into your plans if you get the chance.
Groan Up is on in the back room of Finegan's Wake at 12.00 until the 29th. Bennett also has another show in the Free Sisters at 19.00, which I hope to review at a later date.
The Big Bite Sized Breakfast Show, Pleasance Dome, Edinburgh Fringe
Well, this was a civilised way to begin a day's Fringing. Fresh strawberries brought to us as we queued to get in, coffee and croissant on the way to our seats. If all shows did this.... I'd be a stone heavier by the end of the month.
The Big Bite Size Breakfast is running three different 'menus', each of five or six playlets, rotating on consecutive days. Today we saw Menu Two, five short dramas shoe horned into an hour. Six actors multi tasked the roles, all highly competent, with Owen Bleach the standout performer.
All five were very funny and enjoyable. And there was some thought provoking seriousness underlying the humour. We got existential musings on people's perceptions of purpose in life, through to the corruption of professional integrity when emotion compromises judgement. Even a chance for some audience participation when we got to select which problems some of the characters would have to face up to.
With such short scripts it's important to establish character and setting immediately and there was never a moment of confusion as each new situation was revealed. It's a notable achievement that each one managed to convey some small message about life. If time and budget allow we will be back for another menu before August is out.
The Big Bite Size Breakfast show is in the Pleasance Dome at 10.30 and runs until the 31st.
The Big Bite Size Breakfast is running three different 'menus', each of five or six playlets, rotating on consecutive days. Today we saw Menu Two, five short dramas shoe horned into an hour. Six actors multi tasked the roles, all highly competent, with Owen Bleach the standout performer.
All five were very funny and enjoyable. And there was some thought provoking seriousness underlying the humour. We got existential musings on people's perceptions of purpose in life, through to the corruption of professional integrity when emotion compromises judgement. Even a chance for some audience participation when we got to select which problems some of the characters would have to face up to.
With such short scripts it's important to establish character and setting immediately and there was never a moment of confusion as each new situation was revealed. It's a notable achievement that each one managed to convey some small message about life. If time and budget allow we will be back for another menu before August is out.
The Big Bite Size Breakfast show is in the Pleasance Dome at 10.30 and runs until the 31st.
Wednesday 5 August 2015
Nina Conti, Pleasance One, Edinburgh Fringe
A good start to our Fringe, practicing our skills at queuing whilst slightly damp.
A good start too in the choice of show. If you've seen Nina Conti on the telly you'll know the kind of thing she does. Not your everyday ventriloquist. Her new show, In Your Face, is heavily improvised and relies a great deal on audience interaction. The only puppet is the snide and sarcastic Monkey, who gets away with insulting audience members while Conti plays the innocent. But most of her act involves getting people up on stage, putting on them a grotesque mouth which she controls, and providing their voices.
There were a couple of weak points to the show. The section where Nina is put into a trance by Monkey, who then carries out his own conversation with audience members, dragged a bit. On another night, with a different set of responses, it might work better, but the lack of laughs was noticeable. And she was trying out a new ending in which she dons a nude body suit, facing back to front, and places one of the clumpy mouths on the back of her own head. An intriguing idea, and the bit where she attempted to sit down, bending the wrong way of course, was slapstick funny, but it felt like an idea which needed further work. No doubt it will have turned into something slicker by the end of the run.
Those two moments only stood out because the rest of the show was so good. It's certainly not cerebral comedy, but it is remarkable. The quality of her ventriloquism skills was to be expected. What impressed most was the ability to improvise dialogue for her subjects. She could work their mouths, but not their bodies, and yet much of the time the body language was in sync with what was being said. How much of that is down to the person feeling a need to adapt their own movements to the words they appear to utter, and how much is Conti's ability to tailor the words to the body language she is seeing, was always hard to tell. It must be a mentally demanding exercise, especially when there were four people joining her on stage, all given their own distinct voices.
The results were consistently hilarious, and it's easy to imagine going several times and seeing an almost totally different show each night. Great fun.
Conti's show is in Pleasance One at 21.00 and runs until the 30th.
A good start too in the choice of show. If you've seen Nina Conti on the telly you'll know the kind of thing she does. Not your everyday ventriloquist. Her new show, In Your Face, is heavily improvised and relies a great deal on audience interaction. The only puppet is the snide and sarcastic Monkey, who gets away with insulting audience members while Conti plays the innocent. But most of her act involves getting people up on stage, putting on them a grotesque mouth which she controls, and providing their voices.
There were a couple of weak points to the show. The section where Nina is put into a trance by Monkey, who then carries out his own conversation with audience members, dragged a bit. On another night, with a different set of responses, it might work better, but the lack of laughs was noticeable. And she was trying out a new ending in which she dons a nude body suit, facing back to front, and places one of the clumpy mouths on the back of her own head. An intriguing idea, and the bit where she attempted to sit down, bending the wrong way of course, was slapstick funny, but it felt like an idea which needed further work. No doubt it will have turned into something slicker by the end of the run.
Those two moments only stood out because the rest of the show was so good. It's certainly not cerebral comedy, but it is remarkable. The quality of her ventriloquism skills was to be expected. What impressed most was the ability to improvise dialogue for her subjects. She could work their mouths, but not their bodies, and yet much of the time the body language was in sync with what was being said. How much of that is down to the person feeling a need to adapt their own movements to the words they appear to utter, and how much is Conti's ability to tailor the words to the body language she is seeing, was always hard to tell. It must be a mentally demanding exercise, especially when there were four people joining her on stage, all given their own distinct voices.
The results were consistently hilarious, and it's easy to imagine going several times and seeing an almost totally different show each night. Great fun.
Conti's show is in Pleasance One at 21.00 and runs until the 30th.
Sunday 2 August 2015
The Poozies, Spiegeltent, George Square
There's really not a lot to add to the review I wrote of the Poozies' last Edinburgh gig back in March. Except to say that the band were even tighter, more energetic and funnier than they were four months ago. A fabulous performance that proves the Poozies remain one of the greatest folk groups in Britain.
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