LIST.CO.UK/FESTIVAL row for a bit before settling into the kind of underpowered affair you’d rightly be expecting having seen his work on BBC Three’s Him & Her and onstage in Two Episodes of MASH. A Fringe oven is possibly not the ideal place to see a show about a guy who had really good parents who failed to screw him up and so failed to provide him with traumatic material for a career in comedy. The irony is not altogether lost. (Brian Donaldson) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 28 Aug (not 17, 24), 5.45pm, £8.50–£9.50 (£7–£8). John Robertson ●●●●● Australian Idol reject Robertson has constructed a tightly-scripted monologue full of fascinating true stories. He wraps his infectiously toothy grin around an autobiographical tale festooned with convoluted gags and dreamlike meanderings. The surreal asides are so tightly interwoven that sometimes it’s difficult to separate fact from fiction although it all fits into his philosophy that ‘nothing means anything’. (Murray Robertson) Assembly Hall, 623 3030, until 29 Aug, 10.30pm, £9 (£8). Lady Garden ●●●●● Opening with a lovely scene which links hen nights to war movies, the LG quintet offers up a series of standalone and recurring sketches (best of those being the woman whose life keeps falling apart, the least successful being the tattoo parlour scenes). There’s a subtle switch in mood for the second half and the finale will be either a treat or a torment depending on your viewpoint. (Brian Donaldson) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 29 Aug (not 16), 6pm, £8.50–£9.50 (£7–£8). The Life Doctor ●●●●● Written by Adam Lawrence and Phil Wang, Lawrence channels the most irksome of TV lifestyle gurus. The premise quickly falls flat as jokes fail to land or are utterly baffling. A stand-out turn by George Potts and some surprisingly witty pre-recorded video skits can’t save this disappointment as it stumbles towards a fittingly pessimistic ending. (Suzanne Black) Underbelly, 0844 545 8252, until 28 Aug (not 17), 8.10pm, £9–£10.50 (£8–£9.50). Matt Rudge ●●●●● While he’s the sort of nice, respectable boy you might take home to meet your mother, Rudge isn’t lighting any fires in this lolloping show, which features meandering dialogue and humour with little spark. The routine seems a bit too earnestly practised, lacking fluidity or flair, though Rudge’s natural warmth does keep the whole thing afloat. (Rebecca Ross) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 29 (not 17), 7.15pm, £11–£12 (£9.50–£11). Nathan Caton ●●●●● Likeable but palpably nervous, Caton’s material shows promise. Observations on his eccentric grandmother and the questionable lyrics of Tinie Tempah are tentative but there are glimmers of brilliance. With an audience willing him on, the show may well gain momentum over the coming weeks. A title that reflects the two ways a stand-up career could go, will Caton Get Rich or Die Cryin’? (Suzanne Neilson) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 29 Aug (not 16), 8.15pm, £9.50–£12 (£8–£10.50).
Reviews at a Glance {COMEDY}
Jason Cook
Pete Firman ●●●●● This comic magician takes his tricks seriously. From the opening escape out of a locked box through various sleight-of-hand illusions to the climactic guillotining of an audience member, Firman proves himself to be a very capable conjurer. But he also embellishes and undercuts his magic routines with an enjoyable line in potty- mouthed sarcasm. (Miles Fielder) Pleasance Dome, 556 6550, until 28 Aug, 8.30pm, £12–£14 (£10.50–£12.50). Pope Benedict: Bond Villain ●●●●● He’s already tackled Jesus: The Guantanamo Years and toured with Eco- Friendly Jihad, and this year Abie Philbin Bowman is still looking at the bigger political landscape with a provocative and brilliantly witty hour drawing parallels between religion and the worldwide economic meltdown. This is another show of the kind of intelligent, common sense approach we’ve come to expect from APB. (Marissa Burgess) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 29 Aug (not 16), 8.45pm, £8.50–£9.50 (£7.50–£8.50). Rayguns Look Real Enough ●●●●● Glee fans are well catered for in this mash-up of thematically-arranged medleys, but the laughs come thin and slow. Frontman Ray Gun is an emphatic performer, tucking into lead vocals with relish, but his cat costume is a gimmick that long outstays its welcome, existing only to serve a laboured set of puns. (Murray Robertson) Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 29 Aug, 6.40pm, £9.50–£10.50 (£8.50–£9.50). Ray Time in the Daytime ●●●●● Second-rate daytime TV presenter Ray Green – a loveable yet disturbing creation of comic Dave Gibson – sits halfway between Partridge and Brent. He’s stronger in his unscripted banter than he is in the internet TV show he attempts to pull off in this rough and ready hour. Great facial expressions, impeccable timing, but some of the humour is too easy. (David Kettle) Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 28 Aug (not 15), 2.30pm, £8.50–£9.50 (£7.50–£8.50). Ro Campbell ●●●●● In this marginally bitter show, the current Scottish Comedian of the Year and full- on Aussie tells the story of his intriguing background as a retort to those who loudly jeered his victory. There’s some nice stuff about the ‘true’ roots of Kevin Bridges and an amusing bit about the venue, but it’s all a bit limp with his tale containing few genuine laughs. (Brian Donaldson) Stand III & IV, 558 7272, until 28 Aug (not 15), 10.35pm, £8 (£7). Run, Deaf Boy, Run! ●●●●● Finding himself in his late 40s, deaf comedian Steve Day was feeling like he was falling apart at the seams, so he responded by deciding to run the London Marathon. Despite the fact that the only thing that defined him as a runner was that he owned a pair of trainers. An engaging, heart-warming tale told with skill. (Marissa Burgess) The Stand II, 558 7272, until 28 Aug (not 15), 1.10pm, £8 (£7). Sex You (I’m Gonna) ●●●●● Like the ‘grower, not show-er penis’ that Nathan Phillips tells us about, this act sells itself short, proving mercifully more sophisticated than it advertises itself to be; in fact, he’s quite the gentleman. The inescapable problem is that it doesn’t work without an audience willing to participate, and when they don’t, it reveals a flimsy side to Phillips’ repartee. (Rebecca Ross) The Store, 556 5375, until 14 Aug, 9pm, £7–£9. Stuart Goldsmith ●●●●● Our affable host is one of life’s nice guys: he likes to help. Whether appeasing young godson Tom with some robot dancing or dealing with life’s many anxieties, Goldsmith’s (trying to be) your man in a crisis. A pleasant romp, amusingly delivered, this is easy, assured comedy. (Anna Millar) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 28 Aug (not 17), 7pm, £9–£10 (£7.50–£9). Suitcase Royale ●●●●● Some late- night, top-notch junkyard theatre from this trio of talented Aussies, as our hapless heroes fight to save their caravan park from an invasion of zombie wombats. Cue a chaotic hour of blues music, B-list horror shtick and high- energy slapstick, as cardboard caravans, over-sized fur suits and crumpet-filled
bazookas transport us to a world of nonsensical make-believe. (Anna Millar) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 28 Aug (not 16), 11.10pm, £10 (£9). Tim Clare ●●●●● A frequently inventive follow-up to last year’s excellent debut from Clare, How to Be a Leader is a handy guide to anyone who wants to rule over people and land. After drawing links between suicide cultist Jim Jones and chocoholic Willy Wonka, he closes with a rousing series of raps about iconic women who have led the way. Another wonderful chance to boo at Thatcher. (Brian Donaldson) Underbelly, 0844 545 8252, until 28 Aug (not 15), 8.55pm, £9–£10 (£8–£9). Tom Price ●●●●● Torchwood actor Price spins a scattershot, shaggy yarn from the schoolyard to Billie Piper. From the off, he’s ebullient and thoroughly engaging, delicately interweaving material about his disabled mum that absolutely drips with warmth while still being deliciously funny. Striking a fine balance between confidence and modesty, his hilarious middle-class ruminations are a joy to behold. (Murray Robertson) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 28 Aug (not 16), 9.45pm, £9.50–£12 (£8–£10.50). Tom Stade ●●●●● Gripping the mic, MC-style, Stade is a salty Everyman. Saying what no one else dares say and with much better timing, he’s the buddy your wife fancies but doesn’t want around. There are a few misses, but gags about marriage, famine and national pride are good targets, and his naked whimsy coupled with shock humour make for easy, if not entirely guilt-free, laughs. (Carmody Wilson) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 28 Aug (not 15), 9pm, £10.50–£12 (£9–£10.50). Tony Law ●●●●● It’s noon and Tony Law bursts on stage bedecked in the get- up of a 19th century Arctic explorer. If you’re not fully awake, you will be soon. The next hour is a surrealist joyride through a dangerous world. His delivery is brash, loud and joyously raucous. Confident and bizarre, Law’s act will go way out there taking you with him. (Suzanne Neilson) The Stand II, 558 7272, until 28 Aug (not 15, 21), noon, £8 (£7). Totally Tom ●●●●● Straight out the trap, Toms Palmer and Stourton launch into a run of standalone sketches. With great versatility they eschew running gags and call-backs; each sketch is a snapshot of a fully realised world which displays their impressive range of comedic prowess and accents. A few of the later skits lack punch but the overall hit rate is high. (Suzanne Black) Underbelly, 0844 545 8252, until 28 Aug (not 15), 3.45pm, £8.50–£10 (£7.50–£9). Zeus’ Pamphlet ●●●●● This five- piece sketch troupe isn’t bringing anything spectacularly new to the genre but nevertheless it’s an enjoyable show that’s worth seeing. Where some characters are familiar – rude girls on the back of a bus – there are a few ideas that are more inventive, in particular the backstage CCTV that cuts in between skits. (Marissa Burgess) Underbelly, 0844 545 8252, until 28 Aug (not 16), 2.40pm, £8–£9.50 (£7–£8.50). 11–18 Aug 2011 THE LIST 57
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