FESTIVAL COMEDY REVIEWS
JEN BRISTER Blisteringly funny view of adulthood ●●●●●
A self-confessed woman-child (or ‘adult-adoles- cent’), Jen Brister is no longer young. But she’s certainly by no means old. With the same feverish style found in last year’s Jen Brister is British(ish) and which frequently encourages hilarious tangents, she ventures way into her past. On a journey from then to now, she profiles
encounters with red tights as a six-year-old and several lost-in-translation moments with her Spanish mother. Brister is a truly natural and gifted perform- er, openly sharing her life junctures with us, of need- ing to ‘confess’ about her gay sexuality, of chatting to vacuous girly-girls at school, and of growing up with libidinous teenage brothers. At real hair-trigger speed, Brister rattles through past events that have catapulted her into ‘proper’ adulthood, each tale immaculately written and deliv- ered with whetted precision. She coyly asserts that we will learn nothing after watching her set and, granted, there are no political gags or profound statements here. But we receive something far more rewarding: a blisteringly funny and full-blown view of Jen Brister’s life. (Andrew Latimer) ■ The Caves, 556 5375, until 26 Aug (not 14), 7.35pm, £9–£10 (£7–£8).
BILLY THE MIME Worlds of pain gently being soothed ●●●●●
Billy the Mime came to Edinburgh with a reputation for smashing barriers of taste with his clever silent work on the likes of The Aristocrats movie. The reputation he may well leave with is as an accomplished artist fully on the side of the vulnerable and vanquished.
When a Fringe comic generally brings up the subject of Michael Jackson, the cruel ‘wacko Jacko’ gags tend to flow thick and fast. In Billy’s hands, the late superstar is a tragic figure, betrayed and destroyed by those he had come to rely upon, whether his father, his doctor or the plastic surgeons who ignored the evidence in front of them and continued to cut away at his hollowed-out face. Diana Spencer, abused altar boys, AIDS sufferers and World Trade Centre office workers all have their stories told, and collectively are seen as being cut down by disreputable bullies and heartless patri- archs.
Due to his wordless world, Billy occasionally has to resort to brief symbols that feel a little empty
(all people who chew gum are baddies) but the moments when he lifts his art to deeply affecting lev- els outweigh any small reservations. Mr Mime comes on with large sheets of paper upon which are written the title of the piece he’s about to perform, and wanders away briefly to prepare, leaving the audience to conjure up the images that will be in front of us shortly. Few sequences pass by without an element of surprise and at least one arresting moment that should stay with you for a while. A title such as ‘Whitney Houston’s Last Bath’ should be met with pained anticipation, but his mov-
ing tribute won’t fail to warm her fans. Billy the Mime may not be the cutting-edge satirist some thought he was but, more importantly, he will carve new dimensions into the most cynical part of your soul. (Brian Donaldson) ■ The Caves, 556 5375, until 23 Aug (not 14, 17–19), 6.15pm, £6–£8.
SARFRAZ MANZOOR A relaxed hour about inspiration ●●●●●
Sarfraz Manzoor is not a comedian, a fact he read- ily points out at the start. He is, however, both a broadcaster for Radio 4 and a regular contributor to The Guardian and anyone familiar with either of these two institutions will be well-catered for in both tone and content. Rather than straight stand-up, this is a light-heart-
ed but poignant memoir and family portrait. The Boss Rules concerns Manzoor’s devotion to Bruce Springsteen, whose lyrics he credits for providing him with the inspiration to get him to where he is today. These lyrics are peppered through the show like chapter headings as we are given a whistle-stop tour of his adolescence in Luton, various relation- ships (father, mother, women in general), career, recent experience of fatherhood and how all of these have been affected by being a Muslim.
While Manzoor is unlikely to provide you with the similar sort of inspiration that Springsteen has given him, his confident, open manner creates a relaxed and enjoyable hour that should resonate with every- one. (Gordon Eldrett) ■ Assembly Rooms, 0844 693 3008, until 26 Aug (not 13), 3.45pm, £10 (£9).
SCOTT AGNEW Fascinating insight into a furtive institution ●●●●●
Scott Agnew’s exploration of the gay sauna world attempts to blow the lid on this furtive institution. After disarmingly segregating his audience into gay and straight, Agnew dives into his material almost too keenly. He seems wary of overdoing audience interaction despite some great potential. When a grandmother arrives late with her grandson and shows willingness to banter, Agnew admits that the role of embarrassed party in the exchange has switched and he clams up. After a little history, Agnew recalls his first sauna experience. Despite a somewhat nervous delivery, he’s a compelling storyteller and maintains his crowd’s attention through a frank confessional. The show takes a serious turn as Agnew relates how recent events have made him fearful of a homopho- bic backlash. It’s an impassioned plea for tolerance, although it comes so far into his set, he’s likely preaching to the converted. (Murray Robertson) ■ The Stand III & IV, 558 7272, until 26 Aug (not 13), 11.40pm, £8 (£7).
48 THE LIST 9–16 Aug 2012