The A-Z of Fringe mirth
ADAM BLOOM
Pleasance, until 27 Aug, 7.05pm. When Adam Bloom was nineteen, he saw Emo Philips and decided he simply had to be a comedian. Three years later he was at a Harry Hill show, thought ‘enough is enough’ and promptly booked his first paying gig within the fortnight. But his first joke in public was performed many years previously. Aged ten while standing at a bus stop in Germany, to be precise.
‘I picked up this semi-circular twig with a few leaves growing on it; it was like a laurel leaf that had been cut in half,’ recalls Bloom. ‘I said to my mum, “do you like my new hat?" and I put it up on my head and went “I got it cheap: half a crown". The thing is that ten-year- old kids are doing jokes about wee and poo and there’s me making these clever, structured puns. Now I‘m older and I’m doing jokes about wee and poo.‘
One joke he performed as part of a Big Value Comedy bill in ‘95 received the most hostile reaction to any single gag I’ve ever witnessed. It concerned the hand
of Jeremy Beadle and the problems that would be encountered playing paper, scissors, stone with him. The boos and hisses did eventually turn back to laughter, and he‘s still going strong while his fellow comics that night have returned to less showbizzy
employ.
Perhaps they should get along to this year’s show (‘And God Created Adam’) as he reveals how to become a comedian in four, simple steps. ‘lt’s a slight industry rant against generic comedy,’ he states. “With the right suit and the right grin, you can get away with doing
some real crap on stage.’
So, far from being run out of town, Londoner Bloom is slowly becoming one of those Fringe comedy stalwarts who packs them in, year in year out, with
(LAN/WW i JOHNNY VEGAS Gilded Balloon, 3—27 Aug, 10.15pm.
It's not easy being Johnny Vegas. One lllllllllt’r he's on stage in front of a few thousand people in Montreal being accosted by a rabid female Jemsh comedian. “it: next he's demonstrating an automatic poober srooper on lire Big Breakfast. All that. straight after being subjected to Adam Bloom's festrxal show in its entirely on the flight home. No y'ronder “(3.810? lagged.
And it's been a busy year for our Johnny. He's become a bit of a household name what Wllll limelight- stealing litrlltilllltllltltES :n Attention St‘iirr‘ and Happiness and recording his gtirireshoy'.‘ for the BBC. But it's not all been fun and games: there's the small nutter of his Fringe blurb to contend ‘.‘.'llll first. 'I had a quick look at the promoter 's ‘.'.’t?l)t$llt: and there's all this about Johnny's been doing TV and neglecting his liye audiences. and l'rn thinking. no I hayen't. l'ye been doing 'l\/ but they 'ye been working ine llkt‘ a rnule. too.'
lht-se lV appuirtinces hate eleyated his public persona to something of an alternatiye sex symbol
22 THE LIST. . _. '
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nothing other than rave reviews to his name, biding his time until the Perrier fairy comes knocking. It’s happened to Al Murray and it’s happened to Rich Hall. Perhaps, as the early tipsters are suggesting, the waiting game will be over this year for Adam Bloom.
Not that he’s obsessed with winning the big prize.
‘When people start thinking that something big is going to happen to you, everyone starts telling you and other people who’ve heard it start telling you and it winds up more and more. It comes to the point that you can’t walk into a bar without six people’s heads starting
to turn and it’s all, “oooh”. That happened to me in ‘98
for ‘scary y‘romen'. 'l've been dOing the show topless with Just a jacket: it's my new summer look. Which is fine on stage and then you come off and suddenly feel incredibly self-conscious. going: “ooh. do y0u mind?" Putting my hand across my chest trying to cover up my male breasts'
According to his promoters. Being Johnny Vegas Will be a comic Jowney
and I didn’t even get nominated. It’s the kiss of death.’ But how would victory change your life? ‘l’d stop drinking Evian.’ Water wag. (Brian Donaldson)
Eye-popping stuff from La Vegas
of exploration into the warped psyche that is the master potter, hokey kokey ring leader and pathos-iiiducing drunken burn. Or it might not. ‘ll the shew goes off on a tangent and 610” of it comes off. then that's well and good. But. the snow is only at. good as the audience are I'm there to Ire it together. Through shouting ,' lMaureen Ellisi
hit *
Ross Noble Geordie japery of the most made—up kind. Reaction was mixed to his 200i) show but Slackers Playtime should win back the alienated. See preview on following pages. Pleasance. until 27 Aug, 8.45pm.
Johnny Vegas After a year of flirting with mainstream glory. Johnny is back to scare the living hell from us. And we love it. See prevrew. left. Gilded Balloon, 3—27 Aug, IO. 75pm. Margaret Cho OK. so she went out with Quentin Tarantino a couple of times. but there‘s more to the Notorious C. H. O. (pictured) than that. See feature. Pleasance, 8—27 Aug, 77pm. Alan Davies These days, he seems happier playing laconic private eyes on the box than doing that stand-up thing, but you know you’re in safe hands when he can be bothered. See preview on following pages. Assembly Rooms, 3— 76 Aug, 70pm.
Adam Bloom Our early tip for the Perrier. Which probably means he hasn‘t got a hope. See preview, left. Pleasance, until 27 Aug, 7. 05pm.
Garth Marenghi Last year's Fright Knight was one of the leftfield surprise hits as the Perrier panel got hot and bothered about his brand of comic horror. This year, he‘s aiming to lead the pack with Netherhead. See preview on following pages. Pleasance, until 27 Aug, 70.25pm.
Emo Philips It's been seven long years since our Emo humoured a Fringe audience. Even his most ardent fans would struggle to recognise him in the street, but the seesaw delivery and searing one-liners are still intact. See feature. Pleasance, 3—27 Aug, 8pm.