F E ST I VA L CO M E DY | Reviews
GIANTS ARE FJORD Naff charm and big 80s flourishes from ‘Scandi’ duo ●●●●●
Things get ‘a little goddam crasy’, when Norwegian Eurodance act Fjörd come to play what they believe is ‘Scotland’s Glastonbury’ in a shipping container at the Pleasance. ‘Say goodbye to the roof, feel free to vape’, they smoothly suggest to a slightly stunned crowd, before sliding into the ‘big in Bolivia’ hits from their hot back catalogue. Their own biggest, obsessive fans, Will Hislop and Barney Fishwick, collect a few new ones with this loving flashback to the glory days of the Vengaboys and Basshunter. Casually dressed in white polo neck and matching slip-on shoes, Lars is an unapologetic fiend for his butterscotch e-cigarette, and ‘identical twin’ Ulrich claims to have been to lots of ‘naughty parties’ with ‘shorties’, when the reality seems to be one car-crash fling with Gabriela from the Cheeky Girls. The Förd double act has popped up for a cameo in previous Fringe sketch shows from the old friends and excellent comedy partners, but justifies a full show here, with musical sections including a vocoder-laden scene from a sci-fi, futuristic Oslo and a big, earnest, 80s synth-banger finish.
In pop-star documentary style, the beautiful bromance upon which Fjörd’s success is built has its dark secrets, and bitter vibes grow onstage, sometimes mid-duet. The Harry Potter musical interlude bit may be lost on some (maybe it was added in for the family-friendly, afternoon time-slot?), but the pair carry off even their clunkiest lines (and unexpected technical blips) with total assuredness, effortlessly spinning 6-karat gold live onstage as things go wrong.
When a member of staff leaves the shipping container, straight after a touching a capella ballad on mouth organ and acoustic guitar, Lars nods knowingly, realising it was probably ‘too much for some’. Delusional dreamboats with beer bottles in holsters, Fjörd’s naff charms could melt glacier hearts. (Claire Sawers) n Pleasance Courtyard, until 25 Aug (not 13), 4.30pm, £9.50–£11.50 (£8.50–£10.50).
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OLAF FALAFEL PRESENTS KNITTING WITH MARACAS Magical ride into family-friendly silliness ●●●●● STEVE N ALLEN: BETTER THAN Relaxed and assured look at positivity ●●●●●
LANGSTON KERMAN: THE LOOSE CANON Debut mixing politics and the puerile ●●●●●
Olaf Falafel is back and as daft as ever. This year we’re all on an international space station with the crowd good-naturedly playing along. The catering staff choose a cheese for the sandwiches, Patricia (possibly not his real name) on the front row is captain and there’s an engineer in the second row.
But who would not get involved? This tall, endearing Swede sells his childlike nonsense to us with aplomb plus his audience interaction is of the most gentle kind. In this early show of the run, the energy dips a touch halfway through but is soon cranked up again, with many big laugh-out-loud moments featuring cats and bagpipes while the human factory resets button is revealed.
It’s a bonus that it’s family-friendly, though as Falafel points out, the kids might struggle with the references to Phil Collins or MC Hammer (who is working in the art gallery) plus there’s a cheeky interactive bit where they might learn a new phrase. Elsewhere there’s the return of Biscuitology personality predictions in a cunning new form and the philosophy shopkeeper is on hand for some wise words. A magical ride into the ridiculous. (Marissa Burgess) n Laughing Horse @ The Pear Tree, until 25 Aug (not 13), 2.50pm, donations at the venue.
58 THE LIST FESTIVAL 7–14 Aug 2019
Steve N Allen, best known for his appearances on The Mash Report, leaves the political stuff behind in his new show. Instead, Better Than is an exploration of how to be more positive and a better person. The premise is interesting but some of the gags feel a little worn, with Allen firing shots at the usual suspects of Trump and Weinstein. These jokes raise more of a collective groan from the audience rather than a chortle, and although certainly topical, the gags don’t feel fresh.
However, there are plenty of original observations that make for much stronger routines, most notably the one about Allen’s sexual mathematics. He takes us through several equations for successful threesomes, foursomes, and more; this seems to have inspired plenty of audiences, as one fan letter reveals. Another highlight is when Allen ‘comes out’ as an introvert, prompting a series of well-observed gags about why the bashful are sexier. Allen is an assured and experienced performer,
with a relaxed on-stage manner, even in the face of audience heckles and disruption. However, you might leave not entirely sure about what exactly he is doing to make himself better than. But does it really matter when you’ve had a good laugh? (Lauren McKay) n The Stand 2, until 25 Aug (not 12), 8.50pm, £9 (£8).
Langston Kerman’s professed topic of how to be a good person is really just an excuse to delve into how terrible people can be. Some of the offences are mild (like his girlfriend’s expectations for Christmas cards) and some are literally criminal (like the exploits of his sex-offender roommate). Most of the material leans heavily into the puerile, with mentions of defecation and Kerman’s penis featuring prominently within his assessments of marriage, sexual politics and his life as a teacher. A section on the racial aspects of having a baby is a highlight, relying on acute social observations rather than gross bodily functions.
Edinburgh audiences are notoriously melanin-
deprived and so some of his references are likely to suffer. For example, the mention of the name ‘Jerome’ elicits specific connotations for a British audience – namely Jerome Flynn, the actor known for Game of Thrones and duets with Robson Green – and not the associations that Kerman’s joke depends upon. With this Fringe debut, Kerman may have tried to
present himself as an edgy, filth-spewing provocateur but he still manages to seem like a really good guy. (Suzanne Black) n Underbelly Bristo Square, until 25 Aug (not 12), 7.45pm, £10–£11 (£9–£10).