The Duncan and Judy Murray Show, New Town Theatre, Edinburgh Festival Fringe

The Other Murray Brother first appeared in 2019 as a BBC Scotland short (see it here), and subsequently spawned a series of short YouTube videos that got millions of hits. The videos featured Judy Murray and her lesser known son, Duncan (aka stand-up Chris Forbes) who, unlike his famous siblings, couldn't even hit a tennis ball. As the family embarrassment Judy had tried to keep his existence a secret, and she steadily developed her character as the exasperated parent

So here's the same couple transferred to the stage. Could the premise hold up sufficiently to maintain an hour long show? The answer is yes. And no...

It was clear that the central idea was too week to stand on it's own for that long, so the stage format is very different. Judy come son first, does a brief intro, and then comedian Des Clarke takes over as MC. 'Duncan' comes on soon after, looking for ways in which he can, finally, impress his mother. This involves him attempting various activities, to his usual low standard, and being judged on his performances. To break up the repetitive nature of this process, there are guests on to do short sets. Magician Colin Cloud performed some mind tricks, punster Darren Walsh delivered a few one liners. Two teenagers from the Murray family came on to dance, cheerleader style, with a flailing Duncan, and an audience member was dragged up to join in a horse race. Clarke held it all together in his usual calm manner. Proceedings climaxed with Duncan finally showing us he could be good at something.

Some ideas worked better than others, so there was a patchiness to the show, but with enough laughs to make this an entertaining hour. It won't win prizes for intellectual content, but it was a lot of fun. Forbes stays in character throughout, with some smart ad libs, and the odd nod to breaking the fourth wall. Murray, usually so deadpan in the (heavily edited!) videos, spent a lot of time corpsing and clearly enjoyed herself up there. And she can still deliver that deadpan when required. Overall I'd say a three out of five.

This was the final performance of The Duncan and Judy Murray Show.

Salute Ukraine!, Usher Hall

 A big gala event bringing together Scottish and Ukrainian musicians and writers.  Plus video messages from Ukrainians both here and back home in the war.  The number of acts was too long to list here, but it really did have something for everyone.  Scottish folk, Ukrainian pop and opera, storytelling and poetry, with three songs from the mighty Lau to close the event, before the Ukraine national anthem was sung - are there were a lot of emotional Ukrainians in the audience to add volume.  

There were a few technical hitches, but that felt entirely forgivable on such a worthy occasion, and one that had had to be thrown together at short notice.  With so many acts to cope with the sound check must have been a lengthy nightmare!  And the occasional glitch served as a reminder that this was an event with real human urgency behind it, that there are innocent people dying in this war, as we sat there and enjoyed the tunes and the words.  

Memorable.

Maureen Lipman is 'Up for It', George Square Theatre, Edinburgh Fringe

Lipman is one of those actors you recognise instantly, even if you can't quite remember why, and she's been a fixture on the theatrical landscape for many decades.  Over the years she's done a lot of comedy, and this show is a reminder of those talents.  It's a mix of comic song, jokes and mini dramas, with music provided by weel kent jazz couple Jacqui Dankworth singing and Charlie Wood on piano.  Plus the surprise inclusion of Lipman's pal, Harry Shearer (of Simpsons fame) on 5 string bass.

She might not be much of a singer, but she certainly knows how to deliver a line and her timing is ultra professional.  The jokes feel dated, as she herself admitted, but are punched out with enthusiasm.  Lipman's at her best performing comic character parts, sketches really, where she gives us one side of a dialogue.  The health technician undertaking a mammogram was especially memorable.  And her mimicry talents were sharply exhibited when a swift change of body position tuned her into the UK's hapless PM.

This is nostalgia entertainment, fun enough in it's way, but unchallenging, safe, a tad predictable.  Beautifully performed though, and Lipman can't help be engaging, so if you're a fan of hers in any way then you won't be disappointed.

Maureen Lipman is on in the George Square Theatre at 17.45 until 12 August.