list.co.uk/festival Reviews | FESTIVAL COMEDY
DOUBLE DENIM Low-brow games, music and imbibing ●●●●●
URZILA CARLSON: FIRST EDITION An enjoyably fresh outlook ●●●●● EDD HEDGES: WONDERLAND Genuine if overly packed hour of stand-up ●●●●●
Strewth (to speak the lingo), what a fun show this is to end the day on, particularly if your day has involved a few beers. Though it’s not compulsory, Double Denim offer you the chance to pop your party pants on and get ready to bust a groove. Michelle Brasier and Laura Frew have organised a soiree and we’re all invited. There’ll be games, cheesy 90s dance music, communal imbibing of coke (the liquid variety) and a whole lot of denim. Already a big hit at the Melbourne Comedy
Festival, the glittery pair make for cutely enthusiastic and excitably childlike hosts; when caught out not having done something, Michelle has the best nervous giggle heard in a long time, while Laura castigates her for that forgetfulness. But it’s not all pass-the-parcel and copping off with guys in the front row as there are some set- pieces here to be enjoyed too. Brasier has prepared an art piece based on her adolescence which sees the inclusion of some extra-large sanitary pads and a bottle of Blue WKD. Just as abstract is their graphic recreation of a hymen breaking, fully choreographed by the pair. This is a whole load of high-energy antipodean silly. (Marissa Burgess) ■ Gilded Balloon Teviot, until 28 Aug, 11.15pm, £8–£11 (£7–£10).
South African-born, New Zealand-based and big in Australia, Urzila Carlson might be making her Fringe debut but she’s the antithesis of the wide-eyed newbie. She adopts a confidently brash and occasionally barbed persona. Carlson’s general through-line of ‘live and let live’ is slightly undermined by a one-sided takedown of those who have chosen to remove certain things from their plates (sugar and dairy for two) or those who are forced to eat differently because of allergies. But as harsh as she can be on others, Carlson is equally prepared to pick apart her own flaws. Dubbing herself as a ‘big unit’, she thanks the West’s charity work which resulted in all that free food being sent to Africa. While her source material can often be rather vanilla (airports, housework), her observations are enjoyably fresh.
Just as you feel you have the measure of
Carlson’s comedy and settle into being treated to an hour of caustic stand-up, she pulls a personal trauma out of the bag, knocking both the balance and audience sideways. While it’s certainly a moving story, it does feels as though it should have been saved for a separate show. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Assembly George Square Studios, until 27 Aug, 7.45pm, £10.50–£11.50 (£9.50–£10.50).
Edd Hedges is a feckless, inoffensive, young, white male comedian. You know the type. He recounts tales of his lack of success with life in general in an effort to make his particularly typical existence sound different. You can’t fault his craftsmanship, though, as he weaves his comical misfortunes into a cohesive narrative, hopping backwards and forwards between childhood and one fateful night.
Despite his 23 years, he has plenty to tell and, as small references to big events begin to build, he blasts through several Fringes-worth of material that a more thrifty comedian may ration. But as generous as he is with his material, Hedges offers something more special: genuineness. What first appears to be competent yet familiar
stand-up reveals itself to be a nuanced and captivating piece of storytelling with Hedges drawing upon some uncomfortable subjects to create an enthralling narrative that elicits a huge emotional response. Some flubbed deliveries mar some of the jokes and it takes a little while for Hedges to set up the story but, trust us, it’s worth it. The show, and the man himself, offer more than meets the eye. (Suzanne Black) ■ Gilded Balloon Teviot, until 27 Aug, 4pm, £8–£9.50 (£7–£8.50).
TWO PLUS ONES: HUGE NIGHT IN Interminable sketches marginally alleviated by high-energy ●●●●●
The trio of Two Plus Ones proclaim themselves to be ‘the neediest sketch group in town’. There’d be a lot of competition for that prize you’d imagine, and it’s difficult to know what else would make this lot stand out from the crowd. The crew is comprised of Luke Sumner (the ‘dweeby’ one), Josh Chana (the ‘chilled’ and ‘vain’ one), and Archie Henderson (look out: he’s the ‘crazy’ one, folks). Initially, the idea is set-up that Josh and Luke have a special kinship that goes back a long way leaving Archie clearly positioned as the outsider. There are various places that such a scenario could have gone, but having placed it in our minds, the concept is more or less dumped. Instead, there are the usual array of sketches that are good, bad and very poor indeed. On the upside is the Penny Farthing routine where the inventor of this wonky vehicle is also responsible for other weirdly out-of-scale products. But then they go and ruin it all by making a pun around ‘rap’ and ‘wrap’ that should never have made it out of the rehearsal room alive.
There’s a pleasing spot of physicality with a massive red shoe, but while the cannibal’s last meal and the participatory finale of the spirituality-yogic class may vary in length, they share common ground in both being interminable. There’s also a degree of predictability, so when the running gag about swear words being censored by disgruntled tech (aren’t all the techs who are brought into a show in that mood?), you just know that somewhere down the road, a bleep will arrive in the wrong place. Clearly there’s an energy to this threesome that will serve them well up to a point, but sharper writing should be a priority before their Huge Night In inspires more people to hit the town. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Just the Tonic at The Caves, until 26 Aug, 9.15pm, £6 (£5) or Pay What You Want.
17–28 Aug 2017 THE LIST FESTIVAL 47
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