Crouching Ferret Hidden Beaver [)_\'hull and Ken; Knitter/tit Sotttlts‘it/e. until 26 Aug. 9.30pm. Acclaimed duo Richard Dyball and Alistair Kerr return to the Fringe after their last appearance in l‘)‘)‘). This is a sketch show for grown-ups which is more than just a series of pastiches and piss-takes.
Sean Cullen’s Erotic Laser Show 0... (ii/(led Balloon. until 27xlug.
9pm. Fringe heavyweight and ex-member of
(‘orky And The Juice Pigs returns for his eighth visit to the festival. (‘onstantly teetering on the brink of collapse. his erotic lasers most definitely have to be seen to he believed. A near-perfect show. Cyderdelic O... I’leasanee. until 27 Aug. 9.55pm. Raving eco-warriors litter the world's music festivals and now they are at the Festival Fringe. Packed with terrifyingly accurate eharacterisations. repetitive beats. drug abuse and media terrorism. ('yileri/elie are a cross between Mark Thomas and the smelly crusty found in the corner of your local techno club. This trio of Devon li- heads' exploits are intermittently projected onto screens as they attend the May Day riots try to break onto This .Wot'ning and protest outside lluntingdon Life Sciences causing more confusion than you would have thought possible at these already highly charged events. They‘ve certainly got balls. particularly when they put their version of ‘direct action' into practise at the end of the show. (letting arrested is one hell of an encore! (Henry Northmore)
The Daily Telegraph Open Mic Award Final 2001 I’leas‘atu‘e. 2/ Aug. 2pm. John Moloney competes ten new comics. including (ilasgow's l)es (‘larke and Richie Devlin of I)unblane. competing for £2000 plus openings at the Montreal and Melbourne comedy festivals.
Damage And De Lacy Rare Ito-its- I’rmluetions'. Ilo/yroorl 'Iav'ern. until 26 Aug. [0.30pm. l.aconic Damage and effervescent de Lacy couple for varied sketches. songs and laughs.
Dark Side 0’ The Toon The Stand ('omeily (‘lub II. until 26 Aug. 10pm. Three self-confessed lidinburgh ‘gadgies' take you on a seedily alternative tourist trail the number to bus route. Alan Davies .00
Assembly Rooms.
until lo Aug. 10pm. The affable. loveable. curly haired chap may be using five-year- old material. but he has a fantastic rapport
with the audience and manages to make performing to hundreds of people seem like an intimate chat down the local pub.
Dead People Laughing (it/(lei! Bit/loot! at it riot Row House. until 27.-lug. (llnn. family man Mark Little directs two of his sons land two bon/a mates) in a show based on their passive generation. ()ne star in The [fretting News.
Bob Doolally’s Balls 00. the Siam! ('omeily' ('lul) I. until 2/) :lug. 7.45pm. The grubby old gobshite of Scottish football is back. and he's brought along a half-arsed gameshow with him. Patil Sneddon‘s bullshitting. washed-up character is excellently observed and precisely executed. Doreen .0. (ii/(lei! Balloon. until 37 Aug. 3.45pm. The Leisure liruv' writing duo seek to confound Us with their postmodern pranks and bizarre set-pieces. Doreen is off- beam. inventive and intriguing comedy that will leave you feeling pleasantly bamboo/led. Driscoll And Message (it/ital Balloon a! l’ep/n'rmint lounge. until 27 Aug. 6pm. Subversive. camp character comedy from female/male double act. Alcoholism. transsexuals. drugs and missing :\-lisl celebrities: it's all here.
Dublin Improv (ii/ital Balloon. until 27 Aug. llldllpm. A showcase of Irish comedy hosted by Tara Flynn and Brendan l)empsey. Mike Dugan - Men Fake Foreplay :issetttltly' Rooms. until 27 Aug. midnight. The limmy Award w inner is on the lookout for love. But can he find it in today's disposable society?
Durham Revue: Virgin Incapable (ii/(led Balloon. until 27xlug. 4.45pm. ('olourful l’ringe regulars indulge in more sketchy comedy complemented by live music.
Earl Stevens - Puh Leez! l’leasatue. until 27xlug. 8.45pm. Paul Putner takes us on a journey through the life of American stand- up liarl Stevens.
Jenny Eclair: Middle Aged Bimbo C... l’leavanee Home. until 27xlug. 8.40pm. (ioing to see Jenny liclair every couple of years at the l‘ringe is a bit like attending regular screenings of a particularly nasty splatter horror film. You know what's coming. you know it's not going to be pleasant or pretty. but there's this curious thrill running all through you as the carnage unfolding in front of you grows more and more depraved. And. let's face it. anyone who can spew forth on such lofty subjects as wee and poo. farts. vaginal dryness attd warts. farts. trips to the (iy ney. trying not to fart. and still have her audience urinating with laughter and begging for more has to be something a bit special. Wonderfully crude. (Allan Radcliffe)
Edinburgh And Beyond FHM Comedy TOUT l’lt’itsuttt't‘. 2/ :iltg. 7.30pm. Showcase of l-‘ringe big talkers including Jenny liclair. John Moloney. Andy [alt/man and a special appearance from last year's Perrier nominee l.ee Mack. Edinburgh Unfringed (it/(tut Balloon. until 27xiug. .v’..\’()/nn. .-\ full-scale attack on the Fringe launched by eccentric female duo. lixpect an hour of improv. cabaret. theatre and a generous dose of satire. Emma And Beth Kilcoyne: Live! Girls! Sketch Show! I’leasaiu'e. until 37xlug. 3.15pm. Return of the energetic ladies responsible for
The Ghost (lfi.'illtlll'('
If you're bored of surrealism and think all politicians are wankers they will set you chortling
Parsons & Naylor
0 Europe: We’ve Created a Monster! 0000. Boom ('liieago. I’leasunee. until 37.-lug. It). l5pm. The skilled live-strong team uses their customary blend of improvised song and sketches to latttpoon lltosc liuropean customs that we Brits love to pour scorn on. Particularly sharp are their pastiches of The Ifto‘ov'ision Song ('ontest and lite lleakest Lin/s. with countries like the ('Iech Republic. listonia and Texas (1’) competing for entry into the lil'.
Evolution HMS ('omeilv'. (' l'enue. until 26 Aug. 4.20pm. Sketch artists strip dovv n the peculiarities of life. lov e and the human body.
Fucking Our Fathers: Scott Capurro, John Cardone 0.00 xissi’tttltly‘ Rooms. until 27.-lug. Illit/lllL’lIl. ('apurro and (‘ardone go all ()edipal in search of the perfect hot muscle daddy. (’apurro has never been one to stray too far from controversy. so it‘s good to see him make good comic theatre ottt of it.
Far Too Happy (‘umln-tilge l'oot/iglttv. l’leasatue. until 27xillL'. 4.35pm. (’ambridgc liootlights are a mixed bag in terms of content and quality. This year. on the 20th anniversary of their Perrier-bestow ed show. they go in search of happiness.
Fat Fat Pope C I’leavatue. until 37.-litg. 10.50pm. .\ truly dreadful show which comes across like a hideously pi'eteiitious student revue. The four young lads would clearly like to think of themselves as Monty Python with philosophical undertones. but are actually
just wanky. self-important brats.
Garth Marenghi’s Netherhead 0.. l’leas'anee. until 27.-lug. 10.25pm. All actors appear to agree that comedy is the hardest of their disciplines to get right. that a hefty dose of Lear is far preferable to trying to raise a laugh from an audience. l)elve further into comedy. and character creation may well be the toughest within that field to do well. Anybody can muck about in front of a mic telling jokes about what happened on the bus that morning or do a bit of 30- sccond improv.
(iarth Marenghi is a creation which certainly doesn't die on its arse but neither is it on the Alan Partridge scale of observational gold. After his out-of—lhe- blue Perrier nomination with I-‘right Knight last year. much was expected of the follow-up. .‘Vt'lltt'l‘llt'tltl. Part ligyptian mystery. semi family tragedy and a tiny bit about finding love and salvation, the cast of three do their utmost with material which either throws its punchline too early or waits forever for the eventual. all- too-obvious delivery.
Not that there aren‘t pleasures to be had: Marenghi is a captivating host and the sillier moments with walking crows and talking brains work well. lt'sjust that we expect more of those being thrust into the limelight as the future of comedy. (Brian [)onaldson)
24 THE LIST FESTIVAL GUIDE 1022 Aug 2001
The Fat Lady Sings Iv'i'i atul the Hit/(HT. Stage [is Stage Iii/inlnu'g/t xleailemv. until [9 .lug. fill/mi. Kit and the Widow scale the heights of comic opera accompanied by incl/o-soprano Melanie Marshall. Festival Revue Rovv Theatre and Princes Street (iat‘rlenv_ until 35 .vlug. noon. Watch the world's largest live arts broadcast. Showing hundreds of live festival perft)rmances. with video presentations of every conceivable art form from music and comedy to theatre and dance. Fiona 8. Her Sister (And Some Guy) 0... (ii/ileil Balloon. until 27 Aug. 9pm. The responsibility of being Alice Springs' sole comedienne may weigh heavily on l‘iona ()‘l.oughlin‘s shoulders. but she does her home city proud with an hour of fresh. gentle hilarity. ably abetted by younger sister limily. ()'l.oughlin‘s laid- back. personable stand-up is extremely infectious: she makes being married to a dental surgeon and having five kids sound like something that happened to her by accidetil and entirely without her know ledge. Though the sketches are not quite as finely tuned. with one back—packers routine being particularly ill advised ((‘ockneys ain‘t that likely to be found humming around 0/. are they 1’). this is more than compensated for by the pleasures of two duclling divas and a cameo front l‘iona's Irish cousin. I:\llan Radcliffe) Fish Supper The Stand ( 'omeilv' (‘lult ll. until 3!) .-\ug. «YRS/nu. The ev er-populat‘ sketch show take their customary side-swipe til Scottish culture. Fit To Burst - It’s All Happening! 0.. l’leasunee. until 37slug. 5. I5pm. .-\ comic. a ventriloquist and a singer/songvvriter travvl their way through comedy sketches and surreal digressions. It's all very clev er and cartoony a bit like animatronics meets ‘I‘lie league ()I (ientlemen it does hovvev ci' lake at least the first half to find its feet and a rhythm. The Fleetwood Coup-De-Ville Chat Show 0 Direct tron) the Donkey Show. l’leavatue Home. until 37slug. 7.45pm. Painfully disappointing follow up to The Monkey Show as l'leelvsood liounders around w itlt no material. struggles vv ith audience banter. lip sy nchs to tunes. but does look good fit high heels and a leotard. Charles Fleischer I... (ii/(Int Balloon at Ii'i'iot Ron I/ouve. until 3.? :lug. //..v’U/nn. llest known as the voice behind Roger Rabbit. lileischer is a consummate stand tip w ho enjoy s audience participation. liven picking on our own reviewer. l‘leischer is unfa/ed his routine gets funnier and funnier. lle riffs on their lives like a performance poet and cleverly relates one person to another. .'\ll\l the audience love it. Four On The Floor (7:3. until 3!) :lug. 7.50pm. Improvised play s served up to order from San l’ranciscan troupe. Free And Easy 'l‘lu' Stam/ ( ‘omeilv' ('lult l. until 2/) .lug. l/nn. Stuart and Paul serve tip an eclectic menu of music. poetry. sketches and improvisation over lunch. Fringe Cuts lt/tt ' Kilt/ft! J. I’lmsiuue. 2!) .lug. Silt/mi. .'\ssortment of fringe favourites. t'ising stars and the occasional musical interlude. Aaaaah Dominic Frisby ooo I’leavanee Home. until 3,".lug. 7.55/nn. .\ charming. inventive and very funny man. Mr l’risby has unfortunately let himself dow n by producing precious little new material for this year's show. His cheeky demeanour and fresh-laced looks make hint ideally suited to kids. TV. and if you go prepared for that level of humour. you'll enjoy yourself immensely. Front ROW Iii“ . lv’tltlli) J. I’lt'ttvttltt't‘. .3“
lug. 3pm. live recording of Radio 4's arts
and cuts show. dishing the dirt on the l‘ringe's hits. misses. scandals and intrigues.