Nicholas Parsons’ Happy Hour 0... l’li’usuni‘i'. until 27 Aug. 6.]5/"11. thn. oh whcn arc wc going to scc Nicholas Parsons back on thc tclly with his own primc timc chat show".’ llc ccrtainly proy'idcs a rcfrcshing antidotc to thc obscquiousncss of Parkinson by rcfusing to fcign intcrcst in his gucsts and oftctt talking oy'cr thcm; anyway. I doubt y‘cry much if Parsons could doff that stiflly lacqucrcd quiff. As a giant of popttlar culturc. Parsons retains a mighty pulling powcr. with thc pick of this ycar's l‘ringc acts dropping in to bc chattcd at. ()n this occasion, Priorité A (iauchc appcarcd. inducing a big shout of ‘Boyoshaka‘ from the public schoolboys in thc audicncc. whilc chantcusc Jcssica Martin was thcrc for thc mums and dads. (ircat y‘aluc. (Allan Radcliffci
Andy Parsons . . . Local Borough Pest Exterminator 000
Pl(’(l.\'llll('(’. until 27 Aug. 7pm. It's a strangc world wc liyc in and cultural say'ant Andy Parsons is quick to obscry‘c thc idiosyncrasics that littcr our moycs and machinations. Why. for cxamplc. do wc fch thc nccd to point out that (‘runchy Nut ('ornllakcs do in fact contain nuts: why do w'c considcr it lucky to bc shat on by a bird: and why is it always thc shit jobs that hayc ‘cmploycc of thc month' schcmcs‘.’ Parsons can‘t claim to hay'c all thc answ'crs to thcsc bcguiling mystcrics but ltc can do a bloody good job of making us laugh at thcm. In a show that's part stand-up and part surrcalist sitcom (pcrformcd bctwccn Rcading Borough (‘ouncil's l’cst (‘ontrol chicf and a pct goldfish). Parsons' uniquc brand of topical comcdy almost always hits thc mark. ((‘athcrinc Brontlcy'l
Jill Peacock Is Glamorous . . . (iilili’il Balloon ut Pt’IIIH’I'IIIlNI Loungi'. until 27Aug. 7.15pm. Loud attd brassy comcdy. Pear Shaped After Midnight
0.. Rare Bin/s Productions. lloly'moil 'Iiiri'rn. until 26 Aug. mil/night. lictwccn thcm. thc fcaturcd stand-ups cxhibit rcasonablc matcrial. btit all could itsc a mastcrclass in comic timing from thcir compcrc Brian Damagc.
Perrier Pick of the Fringe Award Show Assi'm/ily Rooms; 26 A‘ 27 Aug. 8pm. The winncr and nominccs of thc comcdy award that always gcts thctn lining.
Emo Philips 0000 27Aug. 8pm. 'l‘hc w'cirdy onc is still spouting forth thc hcctic onc-lincrs in this y'cry wclcomc rcturn. Pickups And Hiccups With Benjamin and Meyers Boom Chicago. I’li'usiuu‘i'. until 27Aug. ll. 15pm. Boom ('hicago's cynical yct oddly charismatic rclationsbip comcdy. Tony Ponzi Presents ... (illtli'tl Bill/mm (I! 'li'riot Row llousc. until 27Aug. 5.45pm. A prctty funny pastichc of cy'cry' rags-to- richcs-back-to-rags again liltn you'yc cy'ct'
Priorité A Gauche COO. l’li'usiuu‘i' I)()HI(’. until 27Aug. 7.25pm. This l-‘rockncy duo is back with a ncw. highly-polishcd. high-cncrgy routinc.
Puppetry Of The Penis 0.0
(ii/(li'tl Bill/mm (I! li't'to! Rtm' Hottu’. 23’ Aug. l()/nn; 24- 27Aug. Ill/int A" ll. I5/mi. 'l‘hc two Attssic originators of gcnital origami hayc troublc kccping intcrcst arouscd for a full hour.
Radio Scotland Festival Cabaret BIN. Riulio Scot/rind. 'I‘lu' I-iunous .S‘pufigi'lu'nt. until 24 Aug. 1. l5/nn. l‘cstiy'al highlights brought to you by wcc Janice l"orsyth.
Raku-go Storytelling KH/ttll'lltltlltjl. Augustine's. until 27Aug. 8pm. 'l‘rip into thc liar liastcrn tnindsct.
The Really Terrible Orchestra ('unonguti' Kirk. until I Sq). 5.30pm. liilth fcstiyal appcarancc with this liyc rccording of ‘thc \N'orst of thc RT“ 1995 2001'.
I’li’usuni‘i'. until
With a mixture of parody and banter, the Irish trio send up everything in their path
Goodbye - We were the Nualas
Rebranding Mr God by Julian Fox 0... l’li'usuni‘i'. until 27Aug. midnight. It's a shamc thc scaling in thc l’lcasancc (‘cllar isn't rakcd. bccausc if you find yoursclf stuck bchind. say. l.co Saycr or 'l‘hc Jackson l‘iy'c. you'll miss out on thc uniquc sclling point of Ri'ln‘nniling .llr (ioil. which is thc pcrformcr's fantastic facc. llow thc hcll docs hc managc to rctnain so uttcrly' dcadpan for fully 35 minutcs whilc imparting sttch groggin sad diary cutrics. bitlty songs and surrcal fantasics'.’ Somconc ahcad of mc in thc qucuc on thc way out was babbling on about how .\lr (iod is supposcd to bc. you know. (for! and cycn (iod gcts loncly and dcspondcnt somctimcs. Whatcy'cr. This is pcrfcct latc-night cntcrtainmcnt. off-bcat. tnclancholic and funny. (Allan Radcliffci
Resa Fantastiskt Mystisk I-‘mnu‘t Ri'il/u'iul I’roiltu'tions. ('rowni' I’lum lloti'l. until 24 Aug. tinu's i'iu‘y'. Much acclaitncd in Amcrica. this ncglcctcd chdish play has bccotnc a cttlt hit.
A Rhinoerotic Experience 0 Kicks/tow 'I‘lu'utri' ('otn/nint; Is'onu'ilui .S'out/txiili'. until 26 Aug. 2pm. Promising ‘big footcd comic inycntion’. tltc cight pcoplc iny‘oly‘cd in A R/llllllt’l'flllt' lit/n'i'ii'ni'i' dcliy‘cr dim-w'ittcd. ill- L‘UnL‘L‘chd and poorly-cxccutcd skctchcs. with nothing rcmotcly comic about thcm. Studcnt Rcy‘uc Syndromc strikcs again as. irrcspcctiyc of whcthcr thosc rcsponsiblc arc actually studcnts or not. thc pttcrilc and pointlcss matcrial of this show has thc appcarancc of bcing thought tip in thc studcnt union. Should hayc staycd thcrc. frankly. With scarccly a tittcr from thc stony -l‘accd audicncc. thc octct of brayc souls trudgc throttgh a bunch of w cary L‘ltchc‘s. with only onc solitary skctch
about Dr l-‘rankcnstcin's llllllL‘IlhilL‘isL‘tI hclpcr Igor going for a ncw job as a scicntiftc rcscarch assistant actually rcgistcring on thc laughomctcr. 'l‘hat asidc. ribs arc Icft lirmly unticklcd.
(l)oug Johnstonc)
Rich Hall and Dave Fulton Present Terry Dullum Appeal 0000 Assi'nilily' Rooms. until 27Aug. //.45/mt. (iags galorc with thcsc two Amcrican funny‘mcn and it's all for a grand causc. Ride To The Pleasance with William McGonagall .'l.\\t'lttl)l\' Rim/tn. until 27Aug. 2pm. 'l‘hc world's worst poct itt his own. tct'riblc words. This lilcrat'y rollcrcoastcr shoots off cy'cry half an hottr for half an hour.
Joan Rivers (titty I.ll(ll('\. l-i'stit'itl 'I'lu'uti'i'. 24 A" 25 Aug. Il/nn; 27Aug. 7pm A'- ll/mt. SL‘L‘ licaturc. The Road From Dundee To Tennessee .. lltt' Slit/til ('onu'ily ('luli II. until 26 Aug. /.2()pni. A hcay ily obscry'alional btit flaccidly w cak whirlwind tour of thc l'nitcd States of stupidity.
QRubbernecker COO. ('u/t Rmol I’i'ingi' l'lti’iiti‘i'. until 25 Aug. 5.45pm. Scc rcy‘icw.
Jack Russell: l Prefer Dogs
.0. Thu .S'tiinil ('onu'ily' ('luli //. iutlil 26 Aug. 4.20pm. 'I‘his floppy -haircd comic has thc kind of winning grin that is tttlccliotts.
The Saddam Brothers 0 ('iu‘ko/iltonii's l’roiltu'tions. Konu’iliu SUlll/lfiltlt’. until 20 Aug. 3. lU/nn. 'l‘oo rudc to bc an cntcrprising kiddics show and falling wcll short of thc gcttcral rctnit of satirc. Marc Salem’s Mind Games 0000 .‘l.\.\('llll)l\’ Run/Its. until 27Aug. ll).45/nii. .\larc Salcm gcts thc tncasurc of our tiny minds. llc knows w hcn wc'rc lying and
w hcn wc'rc tclling thc truth.
Rubbernecker 0000
twisting Old cllcltc‘s. possibly into ncw ()nL‘s.
Stcphcn .‘ylcrchant ((icryais' co—writcr on The (Itiii'i') followcd with a wcst country bttrr and hilarious linc in bcing dclibcratcly crap and antagonistic. misrcading t'CViCWs and thc audicncc‘s mood. And hc did thc third l’ringlc's crisps rcfcrcncc l‘y'c sccn on this ycar's
liringc. ()uitc odd.
'l'hc linal act Jitntny ('arr. was Iikc a boyish l)crck Wilton from (’orric: all pubcsccnt poshncss and with morc onc-Iincrs pcr tnintttc than should bc humanly possiblc. Saudi justicc and booking llights lcd to my particular favouritcs. But thcrc wcrc absoltttc loads to choosc from. ’l'hc only disappointmcnt about Rubbcrncckcr is its all too bricf run. You'll achc
for morc. (Brian Donaldson)
('ii/i' Royal. until 25 Aug. 5.45pm. Ricky (icry'ais Icft thc stagc with words for your fricnds. ‘lf thcy ask you about thc show. just say it was thrcc stand-ups and a mong‘. llay'ing introduccd its to thrcc of his talcntcd showbi/ pals. thc tnan who has bccomc a ctilt scnsation for 'I‘lu' (Illii‘i' has so much crcdit with thc audicncc. that his sclf- dcprccation and knucklc-scraping hilarity is both justificd and tnodcrn.
As our cxtrcmcly atniablc host (making links bch ccn sharks and Nazis and castigating his mtun for ltcr onanistic tcndcncics). (icry‘ais took oby ious plcasurc in bringing on his clowns. Robin lncc was thc most trad act of thc trio. chatting traditionally to thc front row. and
Sam And Cy Unhinged ooo I’li’iisiini'i'. until 27Aug. 5pm. \Vith minimal props and costumcs thcy bustlc through scorcs of charactcrs. and thc duo‘s intcrplay is cnough to kccp you wanting
Scared Weird Little Guys .0. Thu l'iunous Sl’lt'k'l'llt'lll. until 2/) Aug. 9.30pm. \cry funny. musically talcntcd and guarantccd to ratsc a smilc.
The Semiskimmed Comedy Dairy 0. Korma/iii Soul/ixii/i'. until 2/) Aug. [H.25/nn. l'm rclicy cd to scc plastic cups bcing proy idcd in thc Sottthsidc (‘abarct liar. l)cspitc thc w cak succcssion til. acts. I‘d llilIL' In sL‘L‘ lltL‘ t't‘pt'L‘scttlttllH‘s of Brighton's ('omcdy l)airy bcing hospitaliscd cu massc to hay c glass shards rcmoy'cd from thcir scalps. Though stand- up/singcr Jo Ncat'y stands out as a \crsatilc comic talcnt. and thcrc's a diycrting comic opcra bascd on thc lifc and tinics of Todd ('arty. thc rcst sttffcr from thin matcrial and poor timing. ’l‘hc compcrc bccantc an apologist for his own jokcs with lincs likc ‘No. l didn‘t lind that onc funny cithcr.‘ ‘lltc impromptu rcsponscs and put dow ns w crc bcttcr than thc rchcarscd matcrial. but you know you'rc onto a loscr whcn thc hccklcrs arc lunnic" than thc acts onslagc. (Allan Radclillcl
Sexual Relations With The Kinf’kin Hillbillies 'I'mriy 'li .lli'r/i'. (on Royal l-i'ingi' 'I‘lu'ittri’. until 2/) Aug. 9.40pm. ('otnc attd lap tip sonic sc\y. inbrcd. musical fun with ’l‘ray is 'l'. .\lcr|c. Shakespeare A La Carte l/s Imimu (Ilitiiinlous I’i'in/iu'tions I. Auguylini' 'y, until 25 Aug. /.2(I/nn. Sidc-splitting Shakcspcat'c.
John Sinclair presents Bagpipes 8: Angels 'l‘lu' liongo (‘luli out o/ [In lilui'. until 27Aug. /2.-15/nn. 'I‘his .i()somcthing l-‘ifcr hails his own ‘normalncss' ycl w c'\ c prcy iously dcscribcd hint as 'purc nicntal'.
The Sitcom Trials 00 (ii/(It'll
Ii’it/loon (I! l’i'p/n'rinint loungi’. until 2‘
Aug. skill/nu. This show promiscs qttitc a lot. btit w hilc thcrc arc amusing snippcts hcrc and thcrc. it ultimatcly fails to dcliycr thc rcquisitc laughs. 'l‘hc prcniisc is ncat cnough: lhc audicncc gcts thc bcginnings of thrcc sitcoms actcd out and has to y'otc on which onc thcy want to scc thc cud of. So far so good. bttt thc basic standard of tnatcrial in what arc morc comic plays than sitcoms is poor. and thc cud of tltc show w c \ istlcd “as pt‘ctty IttlllL'. This is all a bit of a shamc. bccausc thcrc's considcrablc cotncdic acting talcnt on show from thc csccllcnt cast. w ho strugglc gamcly to ckc laughs ottt of thc somcw hat hackncy cd tnatcrial on offcr.
(Doug .lohustonct
Skin Pickings In Royal l)isup/mintnu’nl. ('o2. until 2/) Aug. Ill/mi. ('oarsc ltttt. Slaughterhouse Lounge ls'unmti'u .S'ouI/iyiili'. until 2/) Aug. 9. Ill/tin. (‘abat‘ct for sophisticats with scnscs of humour. Small And Large .0 Boom Boom (ll Ilu' lion. until 27Aug. (i/nn. Who in thcir right minds would basc a show around scarching for l.itt|c & l.argc'.’ \Vcll. Richard Smallwood and Nathan (‘assidy hay c donc so. although l'ortunatcly w c scc nothing til thc duo who c|c\atcd tncdiocrity to such sickcning hcights. l‘nl'ortunatcly. Smallwood and ('assidy \CL‘III tit‘lt‘t'tltittt‘d ltt lttilttw itt lltt‘tt' footstcps. 'l‘hc pair work w cll togcthcr. btit arc t'at'cly on stagc at thc satnc titttc to tnakc ttsc of this chcmistry. instcad rcly ing on uninycntiyc singalongs and w cak gags to takc thcm through thc hour. ('assidy. with his chccsy kcy board sounds and
w illully duff humour is at lcast cndcaringly rubbish whilc Smallwood has a dcccnt lost kcy dancc. btit you rcally L‘tttlltl do l‘L‘lIL'l'.
(lantcs Sinartt
So You Think You’re Funny - Sponsored by Channel 4 (ii/i/i-i/ Balloon (1/ 'Ii't'iot Rim llouw’. 2/) Aug. b'JS/nn. Scc thc luturc. Now.
. Ant; v.1 St‘l) ‘30.". THE LIST FESTIVAL GUIDE 23
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