FESTIVAL COMEDY | Reviews
LIAM WILLIAMS Confrontational cutting stand-up ●●●●●
In his current show, Richard Herring curiously states that he decided stand-up was the job for him because ‘comedians are honest’. Given the bizarre fabrications and wilful dismantling of the actual for their own ends, this seems an unlikely claim. What he's probably getting at is the essential truths told from the stage underneath all the half-lies and outright falsehoods being spun. What to make, then, of Liam Williams and Capitalism? Having temporarily separated himself from sketch troupe Sheeps, his was one of the most discussed debut stand-up hits of last Fringe. His act was dubbed part of a new wave of disillusionment comedy, with one review mentioning that onstage at the Tron, he occasionally appeared on the brink of tears.
Well, he’s back playing in yet another pub basement, running fast and loose with anything remotely akin to conventional stand-up. The overly cynical might say this is exactly the kind of form-bending flitting between genius and irritating that we should have come to expect when alternative comedy appointed Stewart Lee as its figurehead. The main similarity between the two is a tendency to stretch an idea or routine way beyond its natural life; Williams’ existential debates with a Tyler Durden- esque alter ego drops squarely into that bracket.
But at its best, Capitalism is packed with thoughtful bits that
are mostly clever and sometimes a bit silly. In the latter is the World Cup song, while the former is represented by cutting sequences about hypocrisy (his own, partly), bad company slogans and why graffiti artists are a bit rubbish. Whether what we are seeing is anything like the ‘real’ Liam
Williams matters not a jot. His is a captivating worldview which confronts his audience and the whole notion of stand-up. And that’s the truth. (Brian Donaldson) ■ The Cellar Monkey, 221 9759, until 25 Aug (not 11), 1.15pm, free.
EASTEND CABARET Upending gender norms and licking foreheads ●●●●●
There was a time when avoiding the front row meant steering clear of dreaded audience participation. As the man in the centre of aisle six who got his forehead licked learned, those days are gone. Turning everyday situations into song-and-dance numbers and terrorising the crowd with her unstoppable libido, Bernadette Byrne, along with her half man / half woman sidekick Victor Victoria, spends the show exploring the various aspects of modern life that hold erotic potential (spoiler: there are many).
While Victy mans / womans the keyboard and accordion, Bernie commands the entire room as one big stage, flipping the gaze back so that the audience ends up shrinking from her attention. Likewise, the pair upend gender norms, through their swearing, masturbation chat, and the bold acknowledgment that women have nipples.
The London-based duo put contemporary cabaret into its best gear, celebrating femininity by simultaneously upholding and redefining what that means. And the interplay between the two halves of EastEnd Cabaret is ultimately what makes the show so good. (Jaclyn Arndt) ■ Underbelly, Bristo Square, 0844 545 8252, until 25 Aug (not 11), 8pm, £10.50–£11.50 (£9.50–£10.50).
40 THE LIST FESTIVAL 7–14 Aug 2014
JO CAULFIELD Tales from a caustic lush life ●●●●● DES BISHOP Warm and funny take on a cultural quest ●●●●●
Jo Caulfield is a professional snide, an acid- tongued, quick-witted moaner. Haughtiness and faux-disdain, or what used to just be called ‘bad manners’, are her stock-in-trade. She’s unabashedly obnoxious, with a stash of good punchlines and stories to keep her crowd onside. Despite living in Edinburgh for three years,
Caulfield’s show (her first since 2012), sounds like she’s just dropped into Scotchland for the first time: high cholesterol! Alcoholism! Violence! Oh my! After ticking off the mandatory boxes (what Jo, no deep-fried Mars bar jokes?), she progresses to referendum talk. She confesses that this is not easy for her, given that judgemental Scots seem to only hear a frightfully posh, maid-hiring, tea-drinking Tory talking when she opens her mouth.
English / Scottish differences segue into hackneyed men / women differences, but her confessions of being a hotel-room robbing, crossword-cheating, husband-embarrassing lush work much better. She’s at her caustic best channelling Joan Rivers, dancing the line between impish shit-stirrer and bitter sociopath. (Claire Sawers) ■ The Stand, 558 7272, until 24 Aug (not 11), 7.05pm, £10 (£9).
In preparation for this year’s show, Des Bishop spent some time absorbing another culture. It’s a gambit often used by comedians to mine material, but Bishop went beyond the extra mile and spent a year in China, living with an adoptive family and learning the language.
His show is an attempt to shed light on ‘another side of China’ and, for anyone unfamiliar with the country, Bishop is an enthusiastic and knowledgable guide. A grasp of the lingo is well demonstrated by an easy conversation with a number of Chinese audience members, and their impenetrable banter proves both impressive and funny. Bishop illustrates his adventures using a PowerPoint presentation and his escapades grow ever more elaborate and absurd. Whether he’s waiting tables, pimping himself at what might be described as a trade fair for spouses, or appearing on the Chinese version of Take Me Out, Bishop’s antics frequently draw gasps of incredulity.
His clear affection for China allows him to make some raw observations that in clumsier hands could seem racist. Full of excellent cultural observations, Des Bishop’s hour is confident and assured, his story illuminating, warm and hilarious. (Murray Robertson) ■ Pleasance Dome, 556 6550, until 24 Aug (not 11), 8pm, £10–£13 (£8.50–£12).