LIST.CO.UK/FESTIVAL Ali Cook ●●●●● A familiar face from TV magic shows, Cook’s hour is determinedly old-fashioned with homage paid to the polyester-haired showmen of his youth. Cook’s sleight-of-hand is impressive, while his elucidation of some of the world’s greatest tricks is compelling, though his cheesy banter could do with a service. (Allan Radcliffe) Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 29 Aug, 9.30pm, £12–£13 (£11–£12). Alison Thea-Skot ●●●●● Tiff Mason is an arch vocal coach with domestic worries, leading to a spell in choky where she runs rap rehabilitation classes. In this delightfully batty character affair, Skot also introduces us to a terrible Aussie social worker, nervy barrister and tactless kids TV presenter. (Brian Donaldson) The Caves, 556 5375, until 28 Aug, noon, £6.50 (£7.50). Alun Cochrane ●●●●● When it comes to a reliably hilarious hour, Cochrane is fast becoming the go-to guy. While he can’t see himself selling out stadiums, he’s more than happy to plough his furrow in ‘proper’ comedy clubs. He’s the only one in the room who seems doubtful that he’ll keep us entertained for a quarter of a century to fulfil his mortgage obligations. (Brian Donaldson) The Stand, 558 7272, until 29 Aug, 6.50pm, £10. Andy Zaltzman ●●●●● Political comic Zaltzman is in his element this year, and covers the London riots, Arab Spring, Angela Merkel and most things in between. He is never short of a dad- style gag which delights many but could make equal numbers recoil. Marmitey. (Lauren Mayberry) The Stand III & IV, 558 7272, until 28 Aug, 4.25pm, £9 (£8). Asher Treleaven ●●●●● There’s no explanation for the rose-trimmed, front- lawn stage Treleaven spends the hour dandying around, but this seems to fit in with his marvellously peculiar persona. His bittersweet harangue on racism is as intelligent and heartfelt as it is funny. Exciting and energetic. (Rebecca Ross) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 28 Aug, 8.40pm, £9.50–£10.50 (£8.50–£9.50). The Baby Diary ●●●●● Emily Watson Howes’ wry play features a couple soon to become parents: she’s suitably over-excited, he’s more concerned about losing his pet rabbit as he relates to his filmed ‘dadblog’. For a piece about the relentless march of technology, it’s either unfortunate or apt that a distracting time delay in the dadblog sequences mean you’re forced to take your eye off the big screen and stare at anything else. (Brian Donaldson) Assembly George Square, 623 3030, until 28 Aug, 4pm, £8.50–£9.50 (£7–£8.50). Chris Mayo ●●●●● Alongside Seminar and Raymond Mearns’ hour, here is another stress-related show, as Mayo chats forcibly about what makes him panic. Everything, by the sounds of it, but he’s confident enough to get up and retell some embarrassing moments (trying to impress girls at school, being mistaken for a charity case). An engaging show spoiled by an overly-long poem about clubbing. (Brian Donaldson) The Caves, 556 5375, until 28 Aug, 6pm, £7–£8.
Reviews at a Glance {COMEDY}
Asher Treleaven
Chris Ramsey ●●●●● With Offermation, this lively comic discusses the cult of delivering unwanted information without prior consent, centring around some letters sent to his family. The central theme is somewhat undermined by an uplifting finale, but Ramsey’s enthusiastic natural wit is impossible to resist. (Brian Donaldson) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 28 Aug, 9.50pm, £8.50–£9.50 (£7–£8). Croft and Pearce ●●●●● Flashes of brilliance are unfortunately lost in a melee of mundanity as this double act trot out predictable stuff about the Middletons, a horrendous job interview and domineering Italian mothers. But the Brownies gang warfare sketch and creative writing rivalry routine offer glimpses into a brighter future. (Brian Donaldson) Underbelly, 0844 545 8252, until 28 Aug, 11.55am, £8.50–£9.50 (£7.50–£8.50). Footlights ●●●●● Aside from one moment of surrealist brilliance, the current Footlights batch patently don’t have a Key or Fry among them, as they cut a swathe through far too many sketches. Their ‘borrowing’ of the Marx Brothers’ mirror sequence only serves to prove that technical ability can never compensate for a lack of comedic guile. (Brian Donaldson) Pleasance Dome, 556 6550, until 29 Aug, 5.20pm, £9–£10 (£8–£9). Hannah Gadsby ●●●●● Having been talked into doing a bungee jump, Gadsby now knows what her deathbed words will be and they’re a disappointment. Armed with tea and biscuits, Mrs Chuckles is exquisitely delivered. A mistress of the subtle one- liner, she credits the crowd with the intelligence to make the right connections. (Marissa Burgess) Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 29 Aug, 4.45pm, £10–£12 (£8–£10). Ian D Montfort ●●●●● Resplendent in the New Age uniform of beads and sandals, Tom Binns takes on an industry that is at best delusional and at worst predatory. While sending up the vagaries of ‘cold reading’, Montfort drops in ‘real’ psychic insights. A witty send-up of mediumship, it certainly proves Binns’ skill in communicating with the living. (Suzanne Black) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 28 Aug, 6.15pm, £12–£14 (£10–£12). Interpretive Dances to My Diary! ●●●●● Fancy spending time with two red boiler-suited Americans called Ryan who love to let themselves go? Maybe your partner will be led onstage to get tongued by tall Ryan while smaller Ryan giggles at their sheer daring? All in the name of a ‘surreal’ ‘story’ about the kind of things people tell their diaries. Subtitled ‘72% Non- Fiction’, this is 100% total cobblers. (Brian Donaldson) Gilded Balloon Teviot, 622 6552, until 27 Aug, 11.30pm, £8–£9 (£7). Jay Foreman ●●●●● London stand- up bard Foreman uses the medium of acoustic ditty to explore pop-culture future-shock and his prevailing quarter- life crisis. His observations on technological progress and modern times are agreeable, but he’s better when contrasting his amiable presence with shadowy lyrics and musical discord. (Nicola Meighan) Underbelly, 0844 545 8252, until 28 Aug, 2.30pm, £9–£10 (£8–£9). Jessica Ransom ●●●●● Comedy doesn’t usually make you feel a little bit sad, but Ransom’s put-upon chef’s wife does just that in a slightly misjudged segment in her character show. Even with a theme of ‘unsung heroes’, it feels unfocused, jumping from a safety officer to Andy Serkis. However there are sparks of brilliance and a couple of killer ad-libs which prove that Ransom’s act just needs honing. (Henry Northmore) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 29 Aug, 5.10pm, £9–£10 (£8–£9). Joe Bor ●●●●● This doesn’t start well, with a laugh-free vox pops film in which Bor asks the public what they find sexy. Worse is to come with the
mercifully brief ‘songs’ which are chucked in to merely ‘show-off’ his recently-acquired guitar skills. What saves this hour about Bor’s search for a six-pack are the supporting cast of his socialist mum, alcoholic dad and action- magnet French flatmate. Limp. (Brian Donaldson) The Tron, 556 5375, until 28 Aug, 5pm, £7–£8 (£5–£6). John Robins ●●●●● For a show purportedly about religion, it’s remarkably light on ideas. The professed theme is a launch pad for a collection of faintly prosaic anecdotes, told with gusto and an irresistible affability. Robins is a fluent storyteller, and after puffing up his skinny frame with preposterous pomp or unlikely gangsta stylings, he’s always ready with a sharply-timed bathetic prod. (Laura Ennor) The Caves, 556 5375, until 28 Aug, 7pm, £8–£9 (£7–£8). Kerry Godliman ●●●●● Marauding seamlessly through discussions on motherhood, ambition and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a comic actress who possesses warm charisma and an attitude that complements her onstage persona as a middle-of-the-road Englishwoman. However, with this laugh-a-minute routine, Godliman is truly anything but. (Jamie Cameron) Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 28 Aug, 6pm, £11–£12 (£9.50–£11). Lights! Camera! Improvise! ●●●●● Invention, energy and singing are all rolled into one fun-flecked show, in which the audience chooses the theme, location and title of a movie and the talented Scat Pack improvise the rest. Here, we were transported to a rom-com in a Scunthorpe monastery. But with a different ‘film’ every night, it’s tempting to go again. (Peggy Hughes) C, 0845 260 1234, until 29 Aug, 7.15pm, £6.50–£9.50 (£10.50–£11.50). Lloyd Langford ●●●●● Pub-quiz enthusiast Langford promises an evening of facts but there was nothing cold or hard about them. We got snippets about mouse-catching and Welsh TV, but the greatest fact learned was that Langford has proper funny bones. It’s wonderfully rare to see a comedian so relaxed and honest with his audience. (Suzanne Neilson) The Stand V, 558 7272, until 28 Aug, 10.05pm, £9 (£8). Lunch with Quattro Formaggio ●●●●● There’s a lovely conceit at play here as the driving force behind this quartet gets a bit too ‘method’ in his Italian waiter role. The team fall out spectacularly with the fourth wall constantly being pushed over, this storyline forcing attention away from the more pallid of their largely sex-based sketches. Still, the alternative barber and Skype scenes do the job nicely. (Brian Donaldson) Underbelly, 0844 545 8252, until 28 Aug, 1.20pm, £8.50–£9.50 (£7.50–£8.50). Mabbs & Justice ●●●●● James Mabbett and Adam Justice are questionable actors and, as a comic duo, somewhat annoying. There are some averagely amusing moments, and effective use of a projector, but the main joke about the characters’ thespian shortcomings tragically bypasses irony. (Rebecca Ross) The Store, 556 5375, until 28 Aug, 3pm, £7–£8 (£6–£7). 25 Aug–22 Sep 2011 THE LIST 37
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